SHIELD - The Disney Division
by All My Friends Are Heathens
Summary: Just a bunch of Disney characters trying to be the best Avengers they can be. How could you not be intrigued? Avengers/Marvel/Disney/DC/Justice League fic with a hint of Mirror's Edge. Mostly Avengers/Disney, featuring some non-Disney characters.
1. Chapter One

**S.H.I.E.L.D.'S DISNEY DIVISION**

**Chapter One**

The expanse of night sky over New York City was an endless abyss of purple clouds and faint starlight. The streets were alive and buzzing with motors, traffic lights, and the never-ending hum of the citizens' chatter. Yes, this was truly a city that never slept. The booming bass of hip-hop music emanating from the nightclubs was the city's heart beat; The rattling subways underground were the city's pulse. Both never stopped. The body of old New York, New York had proven itself strong time and time again. It was unshakeable at its core. Its immune system had been strengthened over many decades of being inundated with crime, pollution, and alien attacks...

But there were still a few germs lingering in the pipelines that were the city's veins; building their numbers, waiting to contaminate the fibers of the city and finally bring it down.

One of these germs was kneeling on top of a gargoyle a good 100 or so stories high. The only thing keeping her keenly balanced frame from falling through the air and into the tumultuous street below was an old, crackling stone demon peering down at an old museum...which happened to be her target. She narrowed her teal eyes and smirked, standing up. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the warm summer breeze waft over her lean, leather-clad body, carrying her brown waves of hair toward the sky. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. They gleamed with anticipation, shining in the night. She couldn't help but grin as she threw herself out over the street, diving into the open air.

She remained in free fall for about seven seconds before expertly flipping over so that she faced the endless sky. In a brief flash, she saw the stars dancing in and out of view, and the tall buildings reaching higher and higher above her. The gargoyle that she'd just been perched on glowered down at her, as if it were jealous that she could fly away and it couldn't. She smirked as she nimbly pressed a button on her utility belt, sending a small hook silently shooting up and grappling the edge of the museum's roof.

The indestructible cord snapped to a stop, jerking her tiny frame out of mid-air. She swung by her hip for a moment, and she had to fight her brief panic as she threw her torso upward so she could grip the cord with her hands. She pushed her feet out in front of her, preparing for impact with the museum wall as she picked up speed. She instinctively bent her knees just before landing, coming to an easy stop as her strong legs took the force of the wall and continued to bend until she was crouching against it so that her back faced the ground below. She held in a shaky sigh and used one hand to brush some wild hair away from her face. She glanced around to make sure she hadn't been seen. Of course, she was safe. She may have been a little new to this job, but she'd definitely been picked for this for a reason. She was meant for it.

She smirked triumphantly and stifled a giggle as she hopped out of her crouch and started to scale the wall. She placed one hand on the cord, and used two fingers of the other hand to control the cord's trigger on her hip. Lightly applying pressure to the button slowly inched the cord toward her, effectively helping to pull her up as she walked in the direction of the roof. As she grew nearer and nearer to the roof, her excitement climbed as well. But she forced herself to focus on making the climb, because at this point, falling would be _so _embarrassing.

The climb was quick and easy. She hopped up onto the edge of the roof and crouched there, pushing the button on her belt with full pressure. This forced the hook to release from the roof and snap back into the device on her belt. She carefully stood up and crept across the roof on quick, silent feet. When she found the vent she was looking for, she grinned and knelt down, placing all ten fingertips (which were free due to her fingerless gloves) against the roof on either side of the vent. She closed her eyes, her expression suddenly somber. She furrowed her brow in concentration.

When the cement shifted under her grasp and melted away, now sand, she grinned. She leaned over the vent's grate covering and quickly used another device on her belt to unscrew the bolts holding the grate, leaving the vent open. After taking a moment to admire her work, she slipped into the vent.

She followed her boss's instructions exactly; Forward for ten seconds, right turn, forward, second left, forward for 28 seconds, and one last left turn. (For the sake of success, her timing had to be perfect. She was supposed to be leaving the building in no more than two minutes.)

She was now directly above the target: An ancient Arabic staff, crafted from pure gold and tipped with a sculpted cobra's head. The eyes of the cobra were said to be enchanted rubies that would hypnotize any one that looked into them.

She scanned the area. The museum had been closed for a good eight hours, and security was pretty bad, but paranoia helped her work better. She used a scanner on her belt to determine the strength of this vent; It was considerably weaker than the first one.

Feeling mischievous, she decided to ignore her boss' s warning about using her _less inconspicuous _powers. She grinned as she pulled the glove off of her right hand, then made a fist with the same hand. The molecules of her fist shifted and transformed, turning the fist to stone. She peered through the grate once more to double-check that no one was in the room beneath her. It was deserted. She gave the grate one quick, firm punch with her stone fist, popping it open in one go. Not very quietly either. She quickly caught the grate with her left hand before it could go crashing down to the ground. She pulled the grate inside and let it sit nearby in the vent. She waited to hear footsteps approach while she changed her fist back to flesh and pulled the glove back on.

She did a quick somersault and hung from the vent with one hand, dangling from the middle of the cieling. She looked around again, waiting for any one to come running in.

Nothing.

She shifted her molecules again, turning into sand and raining down onto the red carpet below. Once every grain had landed, it all gathered up and swirled up into the air, once again forming a human-looking girl. She smirked and strolled toward the tall glass case containing the regal Cobra Staff. She paused, pulling a little black compact from a pocket on her belt. She popped the compact open, revealing a fine purple powder, and held it up in front of her mouth. She gently blew a layer of the powder toward the display case.

In the brief time before the dust faded, she saw that lasers were surrounding the case on all sides like a box. She rolled her eyes and snapped the compact shut, once more securing it in its pocket. Taking out surveillance had taken all day while she spied on the place, and she didn't have that kind of time to kill the security alarms... That would just be pushing her luck.

She needed a distraction.

She silently moved out of the room and down the hall. She reached the room at the end of the hall, which was full of stuff from the medieval ages of England. She slunk her way over to a shelf on the furthest wall and looked it over quickly. Her gaze rested on a dainty pair of glasses resting on a velvet cushion. The placard in front of the glasses read:

**Merlin's Glasses- On Loan From the Museum of Disney City**

She smirked and unleashed her grapple, simultaneously snagging the glasses and setting off a blaring alarm. Once she was holding the glasses, she changed once more into sand and slithered into the corner of the room closest to the door. Three security guards ran into the room, right past her. While they all searched the room, she was disappearing and moving back into the room with the staff. She transformed back into her human from, slid the glasses into her vest pocket, and pulled the glove off of her right hand again. Without a second thought, she used her stone fist to break the glass. Nothing could be heard over the alarm. She snatched the staff with both hands and quickly strapped it to her back. This thing would be too difficult to carry through the vents; She would have to be sand again. And she did just that, crawling up the wall, across the ceiling and into the vent, then onward to the roof.

Once there, she again transformed into her human self. The alarm could still be heard wailing, and now the whine of police sirens was drawing near. She reached back to grip the staff for reassurance. Yup, still there. She grinned in triumph and started to pull her communicator from her pocket.

"Sadira." A very unhappy female voice spoke from behind her.

Damn it.

Sadira turned her aqua eyes, flashing with anger, toward a woman about her age-very early twenties-glaring at her from behind a black eye mask, her arms crossed. She wasn't wearing dark leather, like Sadira. She wore bright teal spandex leggings that sat low on her hips, same level as her black utility belt, and reached only to the middle of her toned calves. She wore a tight vest of the same color that showed off her abs and a generous amount of her chest, and had long, sheer black sleeves attached. The sleeves had a print like a tiger pelt and became fingerless gloves at the end. She also wore flat black shoes. Yes, her look was one of the most daring of all the Runners. Her long, thick waves of black hair were kept in a tight ponytail on top of her head. She was fit, but not big. She was actually quite dainty; She was thin and stood at about 5'3" or 5'4". Nevertheless, she was fairly intimidating.

Sadira smirked at her old enemy. "Well. If it isn't the Desert Rose herself." Her expression turned to a look of complete loathing. "Hello, Jasmine."

Jasmine's oval-shaped brown eyes, thickly traced with black eyeliner, flickered toward the staff. Then she glared at Sadira again. "I can't let you take that."

Sadira shrugged, grinning ruefully. "You don't have much of a choice. This baby's coming with me no matter what." She reached up to fondly pet the cobra's head. "I've got a lot riding on this guy."

"Your life?" Jasmine quirked an eyebrow.

Sadira looked at Jasmine sharply. "In a way, yes."

Jasmine sighed, uncrossing her arms. "Sadira, do I really need to say it?"

"_Don't._" Sadira said darkly. "I don't need to hear you scolding me ever again."

They stared at each other again.

"Okay, but seriously, you can't take that." Jasmine repeated, pointing toward the staff.

Sadira smiled deviously. "Think you can keep up with me?"

"Don't do this, Sadira."

"I mean, you never could any way..."

"You can still get out of this. You can still join us. We will help you." Jasmine was pleading now.

Sadira glared at her for a long moment. Then, she shook her head. "I don't need help." And she started running.

Jasmine didn't hesitate to run after her, nor to follow her when she leapt from the museum's roof to the roof the neighbouring apartment building. Sadira was one of the fastest runners, rivaled by very few others, and they were all male. Jasmine tried to remain calm and focused, but the old frustration of being unable to keep up was nagging her. She had always been too hot-tempered for her own good; Coupling that with the violent competitiveness that Sadira had always awakened in her created a very ugly tumult of mental and physical turmoil inside Jasmine. She couldn't focus, so she couldn't run fast enough. But she never stopped moving; Endurance was an even more important key to Running than sharp focus or mental clarity. Of course, those two were still important, and Jasmine was seriously failing at it right now. And realizing that she was failing made things even worse. Still, she never stopped moving, despite the fact that she was growing more and more angry about how Sadira was so much more skilled than her.

Sadira cast a quick smirk over her shoulder at Jasmine. They'd jumped three roofs now, and Jasmine was showing no sign of catching up. Feeling cocky, Sadira decided to collapse into a tiny pile of sand. Jasmine ran right over her-not seeing her in the dark-and halted, looking around in shock. Jasmine knew all about Sadira's powers, but she wasn't expecting her to use them. Sadira could have easily gotten away by simply continuing to run; It was common knowledge that Sadira could run for hours on end without getting tired if she needed to. The girl's endurance and stamina were insane.

Jasmine sighed and hung her head in shame. She'd let Sadira get away...

"Ahem."

Jasmine turned to be met with a stone fist in her gut. She groaned and crumpled to her knees, wrapping her arms around her stomach. Sadira chuckled and strolled around Jasmine's hunched form, heading toward the edge of the roof. Jasmine could barely see, let alone think. She turned her head in the vague direction that she thought Sadira had gone, but was basically blinded by spots dancing and flashing through her vision. Her mind was completely clouded.

"It was nice seeing you, Jazz. It really was. Unfortunately, I've gotta dash." Sadira giggled and waved cutesily. "See you around... Oh." She grinned. "Say hi to Al for me."

With that, Sadira unleashed her grapple hook so that it grabbed the edge of a taller roof across the street. She leapt away and sailed through the air, landing safely against the building's side. She quickly scaled the building, then turned to give Jasmine one more smug grin before disappearing.

Jasmine groaned again and leaned down so low that her forehead rested on her knees. She allowed herself to black out.

"Jasmine!"

She had no idea how long she'd been down, but she knew it must have been awhile. Aladdin and Flynn were both shouting her name from far away, sounding truly worried. She heard their voices and their quick feet getting closer to her, so she slowly sat up. She could actually see now, but the pain that wracked through her stomach, back and rib cage was still pretty distracting. She had probably cracked a rib or two... Maybe she was even bleeding internally... To be a Runner, you had to be pretty in tune with your body, so sensing these things was important.

Her pain must have shown on her face, because Aladdin was kneeling beside her in worry. Flynn stood nearby with his arms crossed.

"Jasmine, are you alright?" Aladdin asked.

She shook her head. "She hit me... Really hard."

"Stone fist?" Flynn asked.

Jasmine nodded.

"We need to get you to Dr. Sweet right away, babe." Aladdin said.

Flynn nodded and reached toward the communicator in his ear. "I'll call for a lift." Flynn wandered away a few steps and started to speak to someone on the other end.

Aladdin looked at Jasmine, wrapping his arms around her. "Flynn and I won't be able to go back with you. We've gotta stay here and figure out what happened exactly. But I swear I'll come see you in the Medical Wing the moment we get back. Alright?"

She nodded with a weak smile.

Flynn ended his call and came back to them, sighing. He frowned at Jasmine. "Why did you chase her? You were supposed to wait for us."

Jasmine glared at him. "She moves faster than we thought. You guys were gonna be too late; She was getting away, and instincts kicked in."

"Well, she got away any way. You should have called us. We could have tracked her! Could have handled this quietly, and possibly find Jafar's hiding spot. But, no, you had to go after her, let her know she's being watched."

"I didn't know what else to do!" Jasmine yelled.

"Well you definitely shouldn't have let you little childhood feud get in the way of our mission! You should have just sent Aladdin after her, since he can handle her without any use of force!"

Jasmine glared at Flynn. It was common knowledge that Sadira had a long-standing attraction to Aladdin, and couldn't stand that he was with Jasmine. It was what finally drove Sadira away. The three of them used to be best friends.

"Lay off, Flynn." Aladdin mumbled.

After a quiet moment, Flynn sighed and turned away. "I told them they should have sent Tarzan."

Tarzan was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best Runner. If he had been here, Sadira would have undoubtedly been caught and the staff secured. But, Tarzan had been assigned to help train the recruits tonight. (The kids loved him so much, he did it pretty regularly.) Director Disney didn't think this robbery would be too much of a problem, so he sent these three. Flynn and Aladdin had both been at this gig for a few years now, after spending their whole lives training, and they were good. Really good. But Jasmine was a bit of a newbie. Flynn had put her on guard duty at the museum, thinking she probably wouldn't have to do anything to mess up the year-long operation of tracking Sadira to find the bigger threat.

But, here they were. As far as they knew, Jasmine had just blown it. Looking at him, Jasmine and Aladdin could tell that Flynn was blaming himself for the whole thing and letting his frustration out on Jasmine. According to Flynn's mind, he was really the one who blew it. He'd left Jasmine "in charge" while he and Aladdin had a quick chat with Director Fury, leaving her to act foolishly and get hurt.

Now they were all screwed.

Once a helicopter was carrying Jasmine to headquarters, Aladdin turned to Flynn.

"Shall we head back to the museum?"

Flynn sighed. "We shall, buddy. We shall."

They both started running.

The outside of the museum had gathered a pretty good crowd, which was unsettled because they weren't allowed to pass the police tape. There were five police cars parked on the other side of the tape, with five officers working crowd control. Five more officers were in the museum talking to the security officers and the museum curator and searching for clues.

The curator was surprised to see two young men with shaggy hair walking toward him. One had brown hair and a light stubble on his chin, and wore a leather, sleeveless vest of a faded blue color, a utility belt, form-fitting brown pants of a flexible fabric and black boots and fingerless gloves. The other boy was foreign-looking, and had thick black hair. He was dressed similarly to his partner, but his vest was dark purple and his pants were white. He also wore a red beanie cap on his head, which was probably not regulation. Both boys wore black eye masks and had the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia on their vests.

The curator nervously smiled at the boys as they approached. "I was just called by a Director Disney telling me he was sending enforcers... Are you them?"

Flynn shook his head. "Probably not." He crossed his arms. "But we were closeby."

Aladdin looked apologetic. "We were kind of supposed to keep this from happening..."

"Oh... Well, at least you're here now." The curator said.

"Yes, sir. And we're aware that it was the Sultan's Cobra Staff that was stolen. We'll be working vigilantly to get it back." Flynn assured him.

"Thank you, but... That wasn't all that was stolen." The curator said.

Aladdin frowned. "Oh?"

"What else is gone, sir?" Flynn asked sternly.

"I'm afraid that Merlin's glasses were also taken." The curator said sadly.

"Ah, shit." Flynn sighed.

"Well, we definitely have to get those back." Aladdin said solemnly.

"We will. And the staff." Flynn told Aladdin. Then he turned to the curator. "Our own museum curator's gonna cry when he hears that." He joked.

The curator laughed hollowly. "I've already broken the news to Mr. Crane... And yes, Ichabod was pretty broken up about it."

Flynn nodded. "Well. My partner and I will look around, see if we can figure out where the thief might have been heading after her job. We've dealt with her before; She's always been kind of sloppy. We'll report back to you before we head out."

Aladdin stayed quiet. Flynn wasn't usually the type to lie to civilians to protect their feelings, but it was a common method in the Disney Division.

"Yes, thank you... I'm glad that someone here knows what they're doing." The curator said quietly, nodding toward where the police officers were joking around with the security guards.

Flynn chuckled. "That's the NYPD for ya'."

"Which reminds me... Isn't this a little outside your jurisdiction? I mean, since you're from Disney City..." The curator said nervously.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is a nation-wide unit. Any agent will be expected to go anywhere they're needed, regardless of where they're H.Q.'d." Flynn explained curtly.

"And all your local agents are busy recuperating after the Ultron incident." Aladdin added.

The curator chuckled. "Oh, right. Of course."

Flynn gave a quick salute. "We'll be looking around if you need us."

After a few moments of searching around this room, Flynn and Aladdin went to the other room, where Merlin's Glasses had been. They stared at the empty cushion that once held the glasses.

"Aurora'll probably be the enforcer that shows up." Aladdin mumbled distractedly.

Flynn shrugged. "It could be Ebony... Or Tiana. They're a couple more public favorites."

"Could even be Esme."

Flynn smirked. "Well, we both know it won't be Meg." Agent Megara was notorious for her terrible people skills.

Aladdin chuckled. "Yeah, probably not."

"They might send Jessica." Flynn said after a long pause.

That was true; Usually Aurora and Jessica were a packaged-deal. More often than not, they were partners for assignments, much to the majority of the male agents' dismay.

They stood in silence for awhile.

"Do you think Jafar's actually gonna use this stuff? Or is he just gonna pawn it?" Aladdin finally asked.

Flynn sighed. "Well, he's pretty power-hungry. And definitely not hurting for money."

"Right." That was the answer Aladdin was afraid of.

Flynn looked at him sympathetically. "Did you know Sadira was working for him?"

"Not till Disney gave us this assignment this morning. I didn't even know she was working for anyone before today..."

Sadira had always been kind of a lone wolf.

They were quiet for another moment. Then Flynn glanced around again.

He sighed. "Well. We've seen nothing but destroyed vents, broken glass, and the occasional grain of sand. Which means..."

"We've completely and utterly failed." Aladdin muttered.

Flynn nodded shortly. "Let's get going." They started heading toward the first room again.

"Ah, hello Agents!" The curator greeted. The worthless police officers were obviously getting on his nerves.

One of the officers jumped to attention. "Uh, we were just gonna start dustin' for fingerprints, so..."

"Don't bother. There won't be any." Aladdin said simply.

The officer looked confused. "What? Why...?"

"Because this girl has no fingerprints." A pleasant young woman's voice said.

Everyone turned to see, sure enough, Agent Aurora and Agent Jessica walking in, making all eyes in the room pop and all jaws drop. Aurora, one of the Disney Division's poster-girls, was tall and fit and lean, but still curvy and generously built, with the old-fashioned, movie-star-good looks. Long golden curls of hair, (right now in a loose and fashionable ponytail), lightly tanned, soft skin, and plump, pink lips. Her eyes were the color of lavender, and her long eyelashes were lightly touched up with mascara. She was wearing a tight leather body suit that covered everything from the neck down, and was a deep magenta color. Her boots, gloves, utility belt, and official S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia were dark blue. A heavy pistol sat happily on each of her hips.

And then there was Jessica Rabbit, one of the older agents, and a woman burdened with inhuman beauty that made Poison Ivy jealous. She was strikingly tall-probably the tallest person in this room-and unrealistically lean, curvy...and busty. Her scarlet-orange hair was loose, shielding half of her gorgeous face so that only one of her vibrant green eyes and finely-shaped eyebrows was visible. Her pouty red lips were pursed in her usual expression of cool indifference. She wore a suit similar to Aurora's, but it was bright red and her gloves, boots, belt and insignia were a nice purple. Although, her suit was unzipped quite considerably low to accommodate her suffocating breasts.

"Element-Based Mutants never do." Aurora finished her statement from before. She nodded at the curator. "Agents Sleeping Beauty and Red Rabbit reporting on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Disney Division." She quickly turned back to the officer. "It doesn't matter any way. We already know who this girl is. She's a repeat-offender, and I assure you that she will be brought to justice."

"Who were the security officers present?" Jessica asked in her usual sultry tone.

The three men who'd been working when the theft happened raised their hands in awe.

Jessica nodded at them. "I'm going to need to take down an official report from you three." She pressed a button on her belt, turning on a recording device as she walked toward the men. "Let's start with your names."

Aurora looked at the police officers with a stunning smile. "We'll handle this investigation, boys. The staff and the glasses will be returned soon enough, I guarantee it. Head on home."

The officers nodded and grumbled as they headed out to their cars.

Aurora turned to the curator, looking friendly and sympathetic. "You should get some rest too, sir. You've put up with enough tonight. Save the rest of this mess for tomorrow. We'll send a couple of our best agents down here to help you out."

He nodded gratefully. "Thank you, ma'am. Really, thank you..." He started to head out.

"Sleep tight!" Aurora called after him with an adorable tone. She heard him chuckle and briefly smiled to herself. Then her face became serious and she crossed her arms. She walked over to Flynn and Aladdin. "Anything?"

Aladdin shook his head.

Flynn said "No."

Aurora sighed and glanced toward where Jessica was still interviewing the security officers. Aurora shook her head and looked down at her blue boots. "Damn." She whispered.

"Yeah... Some Avengers we are." Flynn muttered.

"Well, she can't hide forever. I'm guessing that she's underground." Aladdin said.

"Like... In the sewers?" Aurora asked.

Flynn sighed. "Surrounded by the concrete that is the city's base..."

"Concrete that she can manipulate." Aladdin nodded.

"Well, that's definitely not good." Aurora frowned. "And going down there after her is too dangerous. She would have a distinct advantage, and could kill someone if she really wanted to..."

"Not to mention, destroy the city." Aladdin put in.

"We have to wait for her to come out." Flynn nodded.

"Well, first we need to find out which sewers she's in." Aladdin said.

"True. She could still be in New York, but I think she's probably heading back to Disney City." Aurora said.

"Well, she better stay there, so she's in our jurisdiction. If she comes back here, Fury'll be the one handling her." Flynn said, giving Aladdin a careful look.

Aladdin silently nodded and turned away.

Jessica joined the group then. "Alright, we're done here. Security'll keep an eye on the place and keep it locked up. But, they're complete embeciles, so I've assigned a few agents to park nearby and keep watch."

Aurora nodded. "Good job, Jess."

"I called a chopper to come get us. Let's head up to the roof." Jessica said, leading the way. Aurora walked by her side, Flynn and Aladdin fell in step behind them. Jessica looked at Aurora. "You gonna fill me in?"

Aurora explained everything she and the guys had been discussing.

"Great." Jessica drawled. "Glad to know a vigilant agency like ours can handle simple robberies like this."

"I appreciate the sarcasm, Jess, but there was nothing simple about this robbery." Flynn said with a smirk.

Jessica shrugged.

"Where's Roger right now, Jess? Filming?" Aurora asked to change the subject.

Jessica's husband, Roger, was a famous comedian who had recently started doing films. He had no idea what Jessica's real job was (he thought she was a private detective). This was the case for the majority of relationships for S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents.

Jessica laughed. "No. Poor thing's been so tired from doing all his own stunts. I tell him not to, but..." She shrugged. "You know how he is. The sweet little thing's probably fast asleep. He's gonna wanna hear all about this excitement tomorrow, I'm sure."

"He'll know you were here?" Aurora asked.

Jessica smirked. "I'm a big, important detective. Remember?"

They stepped onto the roof to meet the awaiting helicopter, quickly climbing into it and buckling up. As they started flying back to Disney City, Aurora turned to Aladdin.

"I just got a message from Sweet. He says he's got Jasmine all fixed, she's just gonna be a bit sore for the next couple of days. Also, he's keeping her overnight in the Med Wing to make sure she doesn't immediately jump back into work."

Aladdin nodded. "Good idea."

_**Disney City H.Q.**_

Director Disney sighed after hanging up his phone. He turned to one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top Braniacs, Jane Porter.

"Nick is _not _happy." Disney muttered, shoving his phone into his pocket. He was, of course, referring to Director Nick Fury.

Jane giggled. "Of course not. And he probably won't be anything close to happy until we retrieve the stolen artifacts."

"By the way, you and Milo will be going to New York tomorrow to help that poor museum curator." Disney said as he started to shuffle through some papers on his desk.

"Ooh! How exciting!" Jane grinned as she started heading out of his office.

Disney smirked, then sighed again and collapsed in his desk chair. Too much to deal with in one night...

"Director Disney." Aurora adressed him respectfully as she came into the room with Jessica and Flynn. They fell in line in front of his desk and stood with their hands folded behind their backs.

He looked up at them tiredly. "Yes, I know. It was a bust. The girl's good. Hell, she took a pretty tough agent down with one punch."

Aurora quickly and calmly explained the conclusion that she'd come to with Flynn and Aladdin earlier. Disney nodded along patiently.

After she was finished, Disney sighed. "Well... I would say that we should hope for the best, but that means waiting around, and we don't have the option to wait around."

"So... What option are we going with?" Jessica drawled, crossing her arms.

Disney rubbed at his chin. "I'm going to have to send some agents underground."

"Sir, Sadira has the ability to control the particals of earthen matter. With concrete all around, it'll be a deathtrap for our agents." Aurora interjected calmly, trying not to be disrespectful. She was one of the only agents who worked not to offend the director.

Disney nodded. "I understand. But it's the only thing we can do now. We're running out of time, and those artifacts are way too dangerous to be allowed in Jafar's hands. He could do some real damage... And we haven't even factored in his new little _league _of 'Disney Villains'." He made air quotes around the last two words. He sighed again, rubbing his temples. "We'll send a few down in shifts, covering from here to Jersey. All we need to do is catch that girl and bring her in. She's our only lead to Jafar..."

While Aurora firmly disagreed with this plan, she simply nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I'm assuming Aladdin's visiting Jasmine right now?" Disney asked.

Flynn nodded. "Yes."

"Good. She was worried about him... Alright, agents. You're dismissed. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Flynn and Jessica left the room. Aurora lingered, pursing her lips in concern.

"Director, about the plan-"

Disney chuckled. "It's gonna be fine, Aurora. Go about your night."

Aurora nodded dutifuly. "Night, sir." She headed out of the room. Once outside, she sighed and decided to go change into some sweats and go to the training room and abuse a punching bag, maybe lift some weights or climb around...

Aurora was an insomniac, which meant that she never slept, making her mind unendingly busy and her body in constant need of physical work. Her inability to sleep was a key component to her fitness and her sharp mind, much to everyone's disbelief. And since H.Q. offered everything she could need, (training room, gym, kitchen, bathrooms, showers, and her own private office), there were days when Aurora didn't go back to the apartment she shared with her fiance, a politician named Phillip. In fact, more recently, she'd basically started to live in the S.H.I.E.L.D. building.

She was alone in the training room, mercilessly beating and kicking one of the larger punching bags, when she heard the door behind her open. She figured that it was one of the recruits who couldn't sleep. They wandered in here from time to time, in search of physical stimulus to hopefully make them tired enough to sleep. And, more often than not, they wanted to be left to it. So, she ignored whoever it was and continued to beat the poor punching bag, grunting and panting quietly.

It was only when a man cleared his throat behind her that she stopped. She slowly turned to see Flynn standing there. She let her gloved hands hang by her sides and she looked at him expectantly.

"What's up?" She asked innocently, but she already knew what he was here to say.

"Just...wondering how you're feeling." He said casually.

"About tonight?"

"Well, I guess that's important too." He smirked.

"I'm pretty confident that we'll find Sadira. As for the other thing, it's still a no."

"Aurora..." He reached for her hand.

She crossed her arms. "_No, _Flynn. You've asked me every day since that night, and my answer has never changed. It never will."

"I really doubt that, or you wouldn't have said yes that night." Now Flynn crossed his arms.

She sighed. "Don't be so arrogant. We've been over this, Flynn. We'd just gotten back from a dangerous mission- I mean, you almost died! I was just caught up in the moment..."

"Caught up in the moment?" He laughed. "Aurora we spent _hours _together! You had so many opportunities to change your mind, to back out. Remember that first kiss? Huh? Remember the ride back to my place in the taxi? Remember-"

"Flynn, stop it!" She hissed. "No so loud, idiot."

"I'm the idiot? I'm not the one marrying someone I don't love."

She blinked. "I do love Phillip."

"Then why were you with me?"

"Because sometimes people make mistakes!" She suddenly shouted. Flynn always knew how to get to her that way.

Flynn's expression was blank. They stared at each other for a long time.

Aurora slowly shook her head. "It was a year ago, Flynn. And I'm marrying Phillip in a few months, no matter what. This decision's been made practically since my _birth._"

"That's right. Your little arranged marriage. It helps that he's a big important politician who could be a good ally for S.H.I.E.L.D., right? Because he actually knows your real job, since you're such good _friends. _Quite the political power couple you two are..." Flynn spoke bitterly.

"Flynn. Stop." She could feel tears forming. Hearing Flynn talk like this always got to her. "I am _begging _you to just forget this. Alright? _Please._"

"Fine." He threw up his hands and headed toward the door. "_Fine._"

"Flynn!" She called, her voice cracking a little. But he was already out the door. She really wanted to go after him, but forced herself not to. She resorted to going back to the punching bag, hitting and kicking it with way more force than necessary, as if she was going to push her limbs straight through the bag. A few silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

_**Later...**_

Agent Belle- otherwise known as Thorn- was going through some files on the super-computer when all the sensors in the room started to beep violently. Belle looked around in alarm. The lights all around her started to flicker and buzz, and the computer was shorting out. Belle quickly typed in a code to pull up satellite surveillance. She stared in awe at what seemed like a giant, fiery meteor headed toward the feilds right outside of Disney City.

"Well, don't we have all the luck?" Belle mumbled. She pulled up the intercom, not really caring what time it was, (the recruits wouldn't be too happy about being awakened), and asked, "Is any one else picking this up?"

"On my way now!" Aurora's voice came from a comm in the training room.

"Me, too!" A much younger and more cheerful voice said from...nowhere in the building.

Belle smirked. _Ebony must be flying here..._

Aurora came rushing in, fresh out of a shower and wearing a dark blue leather body suit with pale blue accessories. Her hair was loose, much to her own distaste.

"What's happening?" Aurora demanded, not up for putting up with nonsense.

_Oh, she's in one of __those__ moods... _Belle pointed calmly toward the screen. "Looks like a meteor. Burning white-hot, heading straight for that old Greek man's farm. I'm assuming you'll want to handle this?"

Aurora nodded. "The Director's had enough to do tonight. I'll deal with it."

"Not alone. Ebony's on her way."

Aurora didn't look annoyed, but Belle knew that she was.

"Great. She could be useful for...whatever this is. Seems right up her ally." Aurora said simply.

"Uh-huh..." Belle nodded.

"Can we get a planet-side view of this thing?"

"Yeah." Belle clicked away at the keyboard, giving them the view of a small farm in the middle of a feild.

Both of the girls' eyes widened.

"Oh, God..." Aurora whispered.

Dark, violent storm clouds were swirling overhead, creating a whirlpool in the sky, where the meteor would be breaking through the atmosphere. The wind was picking up to threatening speed, and the air seemed to be just _sizzling _with pent-up electric energy.

"So... It's alien, then?" Belle mumbled, awe-struck.

Aurora slowly shook her head and muttered, "Might be..."

It was then that Ebony walked in, in full costume, as could be expected. She also looked as cheerful and non-threatening as always. She was very young, (actually the same age as a lot of the recruits), but she was the face that truly represented the Disney Division. She was the first mutant to be plucked out of an orphanage and made into a hero-as was Disney's M.O.-and she was the Director's Golden Girl.

It bothered Aurora to no end.

Ebony was average height-at least for her age-and had a Cupie Doll kind of look. Big, round brown eyes framed by dark lashes, lips red as blood, hair black as ebony (hence her name), skin white as snow, with a light rosy blush in her round cheeks. She was also dainty and lean, not looking incredibly strong or intimidating. Still, all the bad guys feared her. She could break every last one of the bones in a criminal's body, throw him in jail to rot, and still give him an honest-to-goodness smile afterward, like he was her best friend in the whole world. She was also known to be able to knock people out simply by blowing a kiss at them.

She wore a dark blue sleevless leotard with a high collar, a little yellow skirtlet, red boots that reached to just under her knees and matching gloves that reached an inch or so above her elbows, a yellow belt with a red emblem shaped like an apple, a little red cape (which Aurora could not possibly believe to have been sanctioned by Edna, who designed all the heroes' costumes), a blue eye mask and a red ribbon head band in her short, curly bob.

She smiled cheerily at the other two girls. "Where we headed?"

Belle smirked and gestured toward the monitor.

Ebony gasped. "Oh, my! Well, we better get going!" She looked at Aurora expectantly.

"Right. I'll ring up a chopper..." Aurora reached toward her belt.

Snow giggled. "Nonsense! I'll just fly us over."

Aurora shook her head. "I don't think that's-"

"If I can carry a schoolbus full of high schoolers while flying for 25 miles, I think I can carry you for less than 15, silly." Snow grinned. That was actually the most modest example she could have used right then.

Aurora sighed and started to pull her hair into a ponytail. "Fine."

"Ready when you are! I'll wait outside!" Snow cheered, running enthusiastically out the door.

Aurora glared after her.

Belle looked up at the blond in amusement. "You've been working together for...how many years now? And you still can't stand her. You know she was here before you, right?"

Aurora smirked at Belle. "Shut up."

Belle chuckled, then heard a new beep and turned toward one of the scanners. "Oh, my God..."

"What?" Aurora asked in alarm, looking over the monitors.

"We're picking up a heat signature..." Belle said in shock.

Aurora frowned. "The whole thing's on fire."

Belle glared at her. "Not like _that. _It's..." On a nearby monitor, another beep came up, quick and rhythmic. The foreign object was drawing close enough for the sensors to pick up all kinds of stuff. Belle stared at the new monitor in absolute shock. Aurora frowned at it; It looked familiar... Like one of those hospital monitors that measures heart rates.

"What is it?" Aurora asked quietly.

Belle looked closely at the meteor for the first time. Then she looked at Aurora anxiously.

"You have to go right now." Belle said. "That's not a rock."

_**The Farm.**_

"Amphitryon!"

Amphitryon frowned and halted his wood-working for a moment. He could have sworn that was his wife calling him...

"Amphitryon!" She repeated from outside.

He frowned and headed outside. What was she doing out in this storm, and at this time? (He usually got up early to start work.) Granted it wasn't raining, but the feilds were starting to look like some kind of disaster film...

"What is it, honey?" He called over the howling wind, joining her near their feild. Their old mule, Penelope, was nearby, braying like crazy.

His wife pointed up at the sky.

His eyes widened and he tackled her out of the way. "Alcmene, look out!"

She gave a small cry as the two of them dove and rolled away. The flaming meteor made its impact in their front yard, making the ground all around them shudder and roll. They clung to each other, frightened by the deafening rumble of the earth. There were a few pops, like gunshots, making them both scream. Far away, car alarms were blaring and street lamps were flickering. Telephone wires hummed and vibrated.

Once everything was calm, and quiet aside from the Penelope's braying and the screaming car alarms, the old married couple sat up and stared at where the meteor had embedded itself so deep into the ground that it wasn't visible from where they sat. It lay at the bottom of a massive crater, glowing an iridescent gold that reached up into the brightening sky. The light was warm, and slowly growing paler.

Alcmene turned to see the completely darkened house behind them. What they'd thought had been gunshots had actually been all of their light bulbs exploding.

Amphitryon gulped and started to crawl toward the crater. His wife gripped his arm, and he patted her hand reassuringly and warned her to stay put. Then he slowly stood and walked toward the crater. He looked down at the bottom of it, only to be temporarily blinded by a bright white light that was slowly fading. He covered his eyes until the light completely melted away, seeming to recede into itself. When the light was gone, it became still and silent all around. After a moment of calm, Amphitryon opened his eyes and gazed toward the bottom of the crater. He gasped.

There crouched a giant man with long curls of pale red hair and tanned skin that was _steaming. _He was incredibly tall and muscular- undoubtedly strong- but seemed completely enervated at the moment.

He was also completely naked at the moment.

Amphitryon heard a giggle at his side and turned to see his blushing wife. Amphitryon shook his head.

"For Zeus' sake, get the boy a blanket or something..." He mumbled.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

"Please, sir. Can you direct me to the S.H.I.E.L.D. building? It is very important." The man who had just fallen from the sky begged Amphitryon.

Alcmene giggled as she brought the strange man some tea. "You can't go anywhere until we've got you clothed _and _fed, young man. It won't be but two minutes." She wandered back into the other room, which he could only assume was the kitchen.

He sighed and shook his head, looking to Amphitryon for help. Amphitryon shrugged, letting him know he was out of luck. As the space-man hung his head and pouted, the old farmer noted how comical the giant man looked in some of his old clothes. The flannel and jeans were ridiculously tight, but the over-sized feild boots had worked nicely.

As his wife was bringing breakfast over, the doorbell rang. Amphitryon frowned and told the other two to stay quiet while he got up to answer it. He was surprised to see two young women- one _much _younger than the other- standing on his doorstep in colorful get-ups. While the older one, a somber blond girl, wore a monochromatic suit and seemed pleasant but also serious and business-like, the younger one was a cute raven-haired girl in a super hero costume. Like an excited child playing dress-up being accompanied by a bored adult on Halloween.

"Good evening-" The blond started, then abruptly stopped, making a face. It was 6:00 a.m.

"You mean morning!" The other girl chirped like a sweet little bird. This correction was accompanied by a giggle that sounded much like the soft tinkling of bells.

"I know that." The blond snapped. She looked at Amphitryon, obviously in no mood for joking around. "I'm agent Sleeping Beauty, of S.H.I.E.L.D. You may recognize my partner-" She gestured toward the younger girl, who was grinning like a giddy schoolgirl, "Snow White."

Snow White giggled. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Amphitryon nodded tiredly. "Yes, I think I've heard of you."

"Sir, we recieved some very distressing signals back at H.Q., caused by an electrical storm which was centered over your farm." Sleeping Beauty said matter-of-factly.

"And we couldn't help but notice the gigantic crater out front. It looks awesome, by the way. You should totally keep it!" Snow White added.

Sleeping Beauty was obviously resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She continued, "We were wondering if maybe some extraterrestrial object may have landed in your yard? And if we may see it?"

"Uh..." Amphitryon glanced behind him. There was a pause while he tried to think.

Sleeping Beauty sighed. "Sir, keep in mind that if there is an object and you try to hide it from us, we will find out, and it will result in the immediate detainment of all the home's residents and the forceful confiscation of said object."

Snow White looked sympathetic. "It's true. Sorry, but we don't make the rules. Now can we get to it? I already know what's in there." She bounced like an antsy child.

Amphitryon frowned.

"She has super-hearing." Sleeping Beauty explained.

"Super-everything, really." Snow White put in.

Amphitryon sighed and led them in to the dining room, where his wife and the strange man had started eating without him. He pointed at the man.

"There's your object." He mumbled.

"Wow!" Snow White flew- literally- across the table and hovered over the sky-man's head. Both of them gawked at each other in pure, unsheilded curiosity. Snow White giggled and started to play with strands of his long red hair. "An alien! How amazing!" She looked up at Sleeping Beauty hopefully. "Do you think he's like me?"

"A Kryptonian? I doubt it." Sleeping Beauty said frankly.

Snow White pouted a little, but quickly got over it as she continued to examine the man, who stared up at her with innocent blue eyes.

"You're an alien?" He asked softly. His voice was surprisingly gentle.

She giggled and quit hovering, landing softly on the ground next to him. "Yup. I'm from Krypton. It's...not really around any more. There are only a couple of us left..." She paused, lost in thought. Then, she grinned. "But it's okay that you aren't one. I'm sure your planet's great, too!"

"I'm not from any planet..." He slowly shook his head. "I'm not an alien."

"Oh!" Snow White looked surprised, but intrigued. Sleeping Beauty was watching this exchange carefully. Snow White looked up at the mysterious man with doe-like eyes. "Then what are you?"

"I'm a god. Well, demigod, now..." He answered, standing up. Snow White gasped and hovered again, backing up through the empty air behind her. This man was massive! He was so tall he had to crouch to keep from touching the ceiling. Snow White giggled excitedly and buzzed all around him.

"Another one from Asgard?" Sleeping Beauty asked, seeming unfazed by the whole thing.

"Olympus, actually." He smiled in a friendly manner. "My name is Heracles. Your people know me better as Hercules, though. Did you say you were from S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Sleeping Beauty nodded. "And, if you wouldn't mind, we'd like to bring you back to our division's headquarters. Is that alright?" She didn't really seem to care if it was.

He nodded, his eyes shining with excitement. "That's actually why I'm here."

After saying a quick goodbye and thank you to the old Greek couple, the two agents and the god headed outside, near the crater. Sleeping Beauty glared at Snow White.

"I told you we should have come in a chopper. Or a car." The blond grumbled.

Snow White giggled. "If it's his size you're worried about, don't sweat it." She turned to Hercules. "I'm guessing that heights don't bother you?"

He shook his head.

"Great!" She clapped. She gestured toward Sleeping Beauty and told him, "I'm gonna need you to carry her."

The blond's violet-colored eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Hercules shrugged. "Okay." He scooped her up in his massive arms.

Sleeping Beauty warily eyed Snow White. "Snow...?"

"Okay! Here we go!" Snow White cheered, hovering over behind Hercules. Then she hooked her thin arms under his armpits and flew away into the clouds, carrying both Hercules and her terrified partner in one go.

Sleeping Beauty clung to Hercules' shirt in her horrified stupor, nearly digging her nails into his chest. But he didn't mind. After a moment of getting used to the altitude, she looked up at his amused face and hissed, "I swear, if you drop me, I will throw you into the River Styx."

He chuckled, despite her seriousness. The rest of the flight was quiet, aside from the wind whistling around them.

"Ah, hello!" Jane greeted them with her chipper British accent as they walked into the building. She walked over to greet them while being accompanied by Milo and Belle, who she'd been chatting with. She continued with a bright smile up at Hercules, "Who's this?"

He waved in a surprisingly casual manner. "My name is Hercules."

"He's a possible recruit." Sleeping Beauty explained.

"And a demigod! Isn't that cool?" Snow White added with oozing enthusiasm.

Jane chuckled. "Yes, yes it is. Quite cool." She looked pleasantly toward Sleeping Beauty. "Milo and I are off to New York. Be back in a few hours."

"See you, Jane." The blond nodded as Jane and Milo walked out of the building.

"Those two were Jane and Milo. They're two of our top Braniacs." Snow White told Hercules.

He frowned. "Braniacs?"

"It's a nickname we gave to the agents who specialize in science and technology." Sleeping Beauty explained.

"It means they're really, really smart. With, like, computers and stuff." Snow White continued.

He nodded. "Alright."

"They're also a couple." Snow White giggled. "Aren't they cute?"

"I suppose." Hercules said, though he really had no idea.

"So! Is this our meteor?" Belle asked the two girls, smiling up at Hercules.

He nodded and chuckled. "That would be me, yes."

She held out her hand for a handshake. "I'm Agent Thorn. And you are?"

"Hercules." He gripped her slim hand in his massive fist. "Son of Zeus and Hera of Olympus."

After one shake, Belle whispered, "Whoa." And, to the shock of the demigod, her hand slipped out of his grip, right through his hand. Like a ghost's. As Hercules looked at her in shock, Sleeping Beauty took a step toward her.

"Are you alright, Belle?"

Belle laughed quietly. "Yeah. He's just got a hell of a grip." She smiled up at him again. "I should have expected that. Sorry." She noticed that he was staring at her hands in wonder. She smirked. "Oh. Did my ability surprise you?"

He slowly nodded. "Uh...yeah."

She laughed. "It's alright. I didn't think to warn you."

"Belle has many unique abilities. Phasing through solid matter, like you just saw, creating force feilds, invisibility, telepathy and telekinesis. All of which are controlled by her mind, making her brain sharper than most peoples'. She's fiercely intelligent, so not only is she an excellent agent, she's our best Braniac." Sleeping Beauty explained quickly.

Belle nodded, looking amused. "Thanks, Aurora."

"I'm sorry... Why do they call you Thorn?" Hercules asked Belle, obviously confused.

"Because she may be pretty as a rose, but she's a real thorn in the side of security systems!" Snow White grinned. "Isn't that clever? Director Disney came up with it."

"He comes up with everyone's code names, Ebony." Aurora sighed.

"Okay, okay... So your code names are Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Thorn..." Hercules said, gesturing toward the three girls respectively. "But your real names are Ebony, Aurora, and Belle?"

"Yes. But you are not to call us by our real names outside of this building. Except me; A lot of people know who I am." Aurora answered.

He nodded. "Just making sure."

"Want us to show you around?" Ebony asked him, desperately hoping he would say yes.

He nodded. "Well, of course."

"Yay!" She grabbed his hand with enough strength to shock him, and started leading him further into the building. "Come on! I just know you're gonna love it here!"

Belle smirked when she saw Aurora roll her eyes. Then the two followed their young partner and the captive demigod. Ebony dragged him all over the building, paying specific attention to every detail of every room on every floor, giving him the extensive tour. While Hercules was honestly amazed by it all, (The technology was still so foreign to him, despite having spent a few weeks looking on and studying everything that was modern humanity), the other two agents were incredibly bored, having practically grown up in this building. But while Aurora was incredibly annoyed by the whole thing, Belle found amusement in how Ebony enthusiastically showed Hercules around, seeming to be taking it all in for the first time herself. And Hercules' amazement was so fun to watch; He was kind of adorable, in a way.

As they worked their way back down the building, Ebony made them stop on the third floor, realizing that it was 8:00 a.m.

"You have to meet the recruits! You'll love them, they're so sweet!" Ebony insisted as she led Hercules toward what looked like a classroom.

"Ebony, class just started. We can't interrupt." Belle reminded the younger girl.

"Well...could we observe?" Ebony asked, giving Belle her best puppy-dog eyes.

Belle laughed. "Sure. Just go to the window. And don't be distracting."

"Okay, I promise!" Ebony giggled, leading Hercules to the large window that would let them look inside the classroom. It looked like any ordinary classroom, full of ordinary-looking kids being taught by an ordinary-looking teacher.

"Okay, so... Who's who?" Hercules asked as Belle and Aurora joined them at the window.

"Oh! Okay! Um... Well, that girl in the front- the older one with the really long blond hair? We call her Repunzel." Ebony said, pointing at a girl with ridiculously long golden hair and big green eyes.

"So you guys are into fairytales a lot, huh?" Hercules smirked.

"That's not her code name. It's just what we call her." Aurora said.

"That's her real name?" Hercules asked, surprised.

"No one knows her real name. We picked her up randomly somewhere in Germany, with no hint as to who she was, or who her family was." Belle said.

"An orphan?" He frowned.

"Most of us are orphans." Ebony said sadly.

He nodded. "And you call her Repunzel because of her hair?"

Aurora chuckled. "She refuses to cut it."

"Right. And what's her ability?" He asked.

"Healing. Both herself and others." Belle replied. "She helps out a lot in the Med Wing."

"Alright."

"Okay! Now, that blond girl next to her is Bella, but we call her Tinkerbell. And the one with the black hair next to her is her sister, Crysta. They're called The Pixies." Ebony said.

"Why?" Hercules asked, though he could already guess.

"Because they can sprout wings and fly! Isn't that cool?" Ebony giggled.

"And they can't fly without their wings?"

"Nuh-uh... And that other girl, with the strawberry blond hair, is Theresa. We call her Thumbelina, because she can shrink to microscopic size!"

"Wow."

"Yeah, and the little Hawaiian girl is Lilo. She has a super-sonic scream. But she doesn't like to use it a lot, so she's extra good at combat. Then there's Mowgli; he's training to be a Runner. Those two boys are Taran and Arthur; Taran's training to be an agent, and Arthur's a shape-shifter."

"What can he change into?"

"Simple things: A fish, a squirrel, a bird. He covers water, land and air, so he could be incredibly useful." Belle explained.

"His code name is Bluejay." Aurora added.

Hercules nodded while Ebony continued.

"Then there's Pinocchio. He's a human lie detector."

"He can tell when people are lying?"

Ebony nodded, then sighed. "And then there's Peter." She pointed at a smug looking red-headed boy in a green hoodie, sitting at the back. "He's a trouble maker. His last name is Pan, so everyone just calls him that. He can fly."

"Wow."

"Yeah. And the teacher is Tiana; She owns that big restaurant downtown. Her code name is Swamp Lily."

Hercules raised his eyebrows. "Why...?"

"Well, she grew up around the bayou, so it affected her powers. She can control the elements you might find in a swamp; The water, plant life, animals... Also she can shape-shift into an alligator or a firefly." Belle explained.

"Yeah. She's really cool. Well, we should move on. Maybe we can catch them later in the training room!" Ebony said, dragging Hercules away again.

Belle led everyone to the underground floor, taking a seat at the super-computer there. She spun contentedly in her chair, turning to Hercules.

"I suppose that if you're seriously planning on sticking around, you'll want to know everyone you'll be working with. Yeah?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Alright." She whirled back around to the computer and started clacking away at the keyboard. The image of a man with brown hair and cinnamon-colored skin popped up, wearing a dark green leather body suit with black accessories. He smiled cockily at whatever camera had taken this picture. Belle began to explain. "This is Tiana's husband, Naveen, age 38. Former royalty of the country Maldonia; He helps Tiana run the restaurant. He's also a shape-shifter. He can transform into a crocodile or a frog; He prefers the latter, so we call him Amphibian."

She clicked away a few more times, bringing up a photo of a stunningly beautiful girl with curly black hair, mocha-colored skin and emerald eyes. She wore a costume, not the standard leather suit. Her outfit consisted of a sparkly red skinsuit with gold accents, covering all skin from the neck down, aside from being sleevless. There was a matching eye mask, and a dainty golden tiara rested in the thick hair piled in a loose ponytail on top of her head. She wore long black gloves and matching boots, and there was a sheer scarf wrapped around her waist; It was purple with shimmering silvery-white stars. She was smiling through ruby-red lips and sending the camera a playful wink.

"Esmeralda, age 27. Trained her whole life all over Europe to become a dancer, somehow came to the decision to be a secret agent instead. Specializes in hand-to-hand combat; Also a master of illusion. She's great at escape plans."

More clicking, then another picture. This one was of a scrawny man of South American descent, wearing the most ridiculous costume Hercules had ever seen. It consisted of a brown body suit, a black cape and cowl, and matching black gloves and boots. There was a big green "L" on his chest. And, going off of that, Hercules could now tell that the strange cowl, somewhat reminiscent of Batman's, was meant to be the head of a...a...

"A llama?! Seriously?!" Hercules demanded.

All three of the girls laughed.

"Yes, a llama." Belle smirked. "Kuzco, a.k.a. Llama Man. Age 26."

"I mean... Seriously?!" Hercules exclaimed.

Ebony giggled. "Yes!"

"Why?!"

"He can shape-shift into a llama." Aurora said matter-of-factly.

After a moment, Hercules sighed. "Fine."

The girls laughed again as Belle moved on to the next person: A young man who looked Native American and wore a light brown leather body suit with dark brown accessories. But his uniform had a special touch: The cuffs of his boots and gloves, as well as the collar around his throat, were trimmed with off-white fur. His black hair a little shaggy, and a few strands at the front were braided and adorned with beads. He wore a wooden totem of a bear around his neck.

"Kenai, age 27. Shape-shifts into a grizzly bear, hence his code name: Brother Bear. Has two older brothers who are shape-shifters as well. Denahi, age 29, wolf. Sitka, age 32, eagle."

She quickly showed pictures of the other two brothers before moving on to the next person: Another strikingly beautiful woman who was tall, strong, and had skin the color of hot cocoa. In vast contrast, her hair was pure white, like fresh snow, and interestingly styled. Her eyes were an electric shade of blue, both stunning and soothing. There was some kind of pale blue tribal tattoo under her left eye. She wore a strapless leotard which was a cool shade of blue, and lighter blue tights underneath. She wore short flat boots that were the same color as her leotard, and matching gloves that only reached just past her wrist. She wore a crystal around her neck that glowed an eerie blue.

"Kida, age 28. Her power? You'll have to witness it to fully understand. Her code name is Crystal Child- Crystal, for short. She's an Atlantian."

That peeked his interest. "Really?"

"Yup."

"So is my cousin. She's actually the one who got my father to send me down here."

"Oh?" Ebony asked.

"Would your cousin happen to Ariel?" Aurora smirked.

"You mean Ariella? Yes." He answered.

Belle shrugged. "Everyone here knows her by Ariel. And I'm glad you know her, so I can skip her profile..." She clicked a few more keys. A picture of a lean, strong Chinese girl popped up, her sleek black hair pulled up into a pretty bun on top of her head and held by a red ribbon and a fancy golden hair comb with a jade flower inlaid in it. Her graceful features were masked by heavy makeup; The already pale skin on her face and slim throat were painted white. Her shining brown eyes adorned an intricate cat-eye line, her cheeks had a rosy blush, and her coyly smiling lips were blood red. She wore a soft pink long-sleeved leotard with deep red tights underneath, and a dark blue corset tied with festive red ribbons. She also wore short black fingerless gloves of a strong leather, and matching black leather combat boots that reached just to mid-shin.

"Mai-Li, age 24. Code name: Mulan. She actually came up with that one. Specializes in hand-to-hand combat and infiltration. She's kind of a ninja. And, if it comes down to it, she'll use her poison-tipped hair comb to temporarily paralyze you." Belle explained.

Seeing Hercules' scared expression, Aurora laughed and said, "She's really a sweet girl."

He nodded, but didn't seem to believe it. "Right..."

Belle grinned. "Moving on..."

A tall, imposing man with long auburn hair pulled into a low ponytail and pale blue eyes glared at the camera, wearing a dark blue leather uniform with yellow accessories. He was lean, but very muscular. Obviously strong. His stern expression didn't hide his handsome features, but he had two strange scars on each side of his forehead, perfectly symmetrical. He was pretty threatening.

"Adam, age 30. Code name: Beast."

"Isn't there already some one named Beast?" Hercules frowned.

"Hank McCoy retired a while ago. He's sticking to politics." Aurora mused.

"Besides, no other name seemed to fit for Adam. He's got...anger issues." Belle added. "Hank was actually the one to train Adam when we were growing up in Xavier's school."

Hercules' eyes widened. "So, before joining S.H.I.E.L.D., you and Adam were X-Men?"

Belle chuckled demurely. "Yes. And Hank and the Professor tried to help Adam get ahold of his rage, but..." She shrugged. "Sometimes he still slips up."

"I think he's gotten better about it." Ebony chimed in.

Now Belle rolled her eyes. "Not really."

"So... I'm guessing he's got a Hulk kind of thing going on?" Hercules asked.

"If only." Aurora muttered. "I'd honestly much rather work with Bruce..."

Belle chuckled while she answered him. "No, we don't have ourselves a massive green juggernaut who can withstand nuclear missiles without even being scratched. Unfortunately for Adam, he's not bulletproof. Also, his transformation is a lot less glorified or fun to watch."

"Why? What does he turn into?"

"The easiest- and least sensitive- way to put it is: A monster." Aurora said.

"Or, simply, an animal." Belle said, sending the blond a sharp look.

"You mean...with fangs and claws?" Hercules examined Adam's picture more carefully now.

"And horns and a tail and fur!" Ebony giggled.

"Horns? Well, that explains those scars..." Hercules said, motioning toward Adam's forehead.

"Yeah..." Belle murmured, hurrying to move on. A pair of siblings were up now, temporarily surprising Hercules. Up until now, there had never been more than one person on the screen at once.

There was one boy and one girl, both tall and slim with eyes of a crisp blue and eerily pale skin and platinum-blond hair; the boy's hair was kind of shaggy and wind-swept while the girl's was kept in a nice braid. Both their complexions and hair were basically white. The boy wore brown cargo pants and a dark blue leather jacket with a hood. He also wore black fingerless gloves, combat boots and utility belt. He carried a wooden staff with a daunting silver hook at the tip. The girl wore a pale blue skin suit that faintly shimmered, and had long sheer sleeves and a matching cape with sparkling white snowflakes as a pattern. She also wore crystalline heeled boots.

"Elsa and Jack Frost, ages 27 and 23. Jack just goes by his real name, but we call Elsa Frostbite. Both have control over ice, wind, snow, and sometimes hail. They were brought to our attention when, as children in a small town, Jack froze a neighborhood pond so that all the kids could ditch school and go ice-skating. Elsa freaked out because their parents always told them to conceal their powers, and when Jack ignored her begging him to stop, she threw a tantrum and inadvertently put the town in a blizzard."

Hercules' eyebrows shot up. "Wow."

"Yeah. They're pretty impressive. They have a little sister, but she's not mutated. She doesn't even know that they are. She goes to Disney University; A freshman, named Anna." Belle quickly pulled up a picture of an adorable young girl with her red hair pulled into two low braids, her blue-green eyes shining with excitement and a light sprinkle of freckles over her creamy cheeks. Then, they moved on.

Belle quickly pulled up the next profile. When the picture came up, she grinned at Aurora. "Care to take this one?"

Aurora shrugged and gestured toward the picture. "That's my sister, Megara. But everyone calls her Meg."

Meg was tall and slim, very slim. She had brown hair with purple streaks running through the length of it in its high ponytail, and the entirety of her curly, gravity-defying bangs were purple. Her eyes were a similar color to Aurora's, but instead of being the soothing lavender that Hercules had grown accustomed to, they were a shade or two darker. A vibrant purple. Purple seemed to be her color; She wore a dark purple leather suit with black accessories. She also wore a lot of dark eye make up, and her delicate lips were pursed in what seemed like perpetual disgust. Her left eyebrow and right nostril, as well as the entirety of both of her ears- lobes and cartilage- were pierced.

"She's 22, and incredibly ill-tempered. A hell of an agent, when she's in the mood to be..." Aurora drifted off, like there was more she wanted to say. Then, she looked at Belle again. "Next one."

"This one's a bit of an oddball..." Belle murmured as she typed.

This one... Well, all Hercules could tell was that this person was a girl. Slim and dainty, but definitely fit. Probably pretty flexible, spry, and undoubtedly quick. But, anything else to tell about this girl could only be guessed by the costume that covered every single inch of her skin, as well as her eyes. Even her hair was concealed (if she had any).

She was obviously supposed to be a cat. A very creepy cat. She wore a large black wooden mask of a cat's face, complete with ears and whiskers and a vibrant blue stripe pattern. It's disturbing features included wild yellow eyes and a twisted grin spread from cheek to cheek. The mask wrapped around her entire head and fastened securely to her skin suit, which was made of a flexible black fabric, also with bright blue stripes winding all around her tiny frame. The suit even turned to gloves at the end of the sleeves, and Hercules could catch a glimpse of what seemed to be blue paw prints on the insides of her gloves. She also wore black steel-toed goth boots with shining metal blue buckles, zippers and heels.

"Cheshire Cat. Cheshire, for short. Her powers include teleporting, invisibility, telepathy, telekinesis, shrinking, growing, flight, incredibly heightened senses and endurance, and altering people's perceptions so that they can see, hear, or feel anything she wants them to. She's also an expert in stealth, combat, weapons, infiltration, disappearing into clouds of smoke, and, on top if it all, she's a certified super-genuis, and certifiably nuts."

"Great. What's her name?"

"No one knows."

"What?"

"She's kind of a special case. She's got this whole Rorschach thing going on... But if i had to guess, she's a lab experiment gone wrong, like Deadpool."

"Not even the Director knows her true identity, or even her age. All anyone knows about her is her gender." Aurora added.

"That's not true!" Ebony admonished Aurora. When Aurora turned to give her a strange look, Ebony added in a cheery tone, "We also know that she's British!"

Aurora rolled her eyes while Belle smirked and moved on.

"Since you already know your cousin, I'll just move on to our non-mutant agents. Starting with the Runners." Belle said, typing quickly.

This group consisted of an Arabian couple, Aladdin and Jasmine, a man named Flynn Rider, a Native American woman named Willow but was given the code name Pocahontas, and a strikingly strong and bare-footed man with dreadlocks who was called Tarzan.

Next were the standard agents. Obviously, there was Aurora and Belle. But there was also Tiana and Naveen, Meg, Esmeralda, and a bunch of other people he didn't know. The first two was a partnership between a Scottish girl with wild curls of red hair whose weapon of choice was a bow and arrow and a military-looking young man. Their names were Merida DunBroch and Jim Hawkins, who'd over time earned the affectionate nicknames "Scotty" and "Little Hawk". They were both young; She was 24 and he was 27.

The next one was a surprisingly young girl named Kim Possible. Apparently she'd been at the game since about the age of 16. Now she was 22.

There were other partnerships; A Chinese man named Shang with a friendly-looking Edward, a Native American man named Kocoum (who was engaged to Willow) with a burly man named Brom Bones, and a blond man named Kristoff and a boy with jet-black hair named Eric. Apparently Eric could also breathe under water.

Then there were the veterans. John Smith, the youngest of this echelon, (age 28), a seasoned adventurer and explorer who can speak many languages, and is an expert in combat. Pheobus, a Frenchman who took down a religious dictator back in Paris. He's highly respected for it, as well as many other occassions of daring heroics and for having a wonderful way with people. Then rhere was the partnership of Lyle Rourke and Helga Sinclair. Both deadly assassins; No one meets them in combat without feeling sorry for it later. They are also genuis military strategists. And there's a stuffy-looking but also threatening British man named Clayton. A ruthless combatant and weapons expert, as well as a seasoned explorer and bounty hunter. And finally, Captain Amelia, Director Disney's right-hand gal. Her photo surprised Hercules.

"She's...part cat?"

Belle nodded. "Yes. She's a hybrid. Half Feline, half human. Her mother was the alien, her dad the homosapien. Amelia is incredibly fast, flexible, cunning, strong and brilliant. I would also like to warn you not to piss her off, because this kitty's got claws."

"Right... Is that all?"

"Well, we can personally introduce you to our other Braniacs before we take you to the Director's office." Aurora said.

He nodded. "Okay... But before we do that, what about you three?"

"The only thing you don't know about me is my age. And the answer to that is 26." Belle said.

"The extent of my powers are super strength, speed, flight, impenetrability, lazer vision, X-ray vision, ice breath and super hearing." Ebony put in.

"Wow." Hercules' eyebrows had disappeared in his bangs.

"Also, I'm fourteen." She added.

"Fourteen?!"

She giggled. "Yes, silly! Can't you hear?"

He chuckled and shook his head, turning to Aurora. "And what about you?"

"I'm 27. And I have a twin sister who's working with the enemy." Aurora said through tight lips. She didn't want to say it, but he probably needed to know.

That surprised him, but he didn't show it. "What's her name?"

"Vanessa."

He nodded. "I'll remember that."

Aurora smirked. "Don't go easy on her."

There was a long pause.

"Well! We should get going! I bet everyone's dying to meet you!" Ebony said cheerfully, leading Hercules out of the room. Aurora once more rolled her eyes as she followed. Belle stayed seated at the super computer, running security.

The Braniacs were all wonderful and kind of flighty; Very quirky and entertaining. There were three older gentlemen: A Frenchman named Maurice, who turned out to be Belle's father, a Professor Archimedes Porter, who turned out to be Jane's father, and a Dr. Delbert Doppler.

After meeting them, Ebony lead him and Aurora to the top floor. She went into the Director's office first, only to find that he was on the phone. She told the other two to wait out in the hall until she came and got them. As she disappeared into the office, Hercules took a seat on a bench across from the door. It creaked miserably under his weight, making him blush. Aurora stood by with her arms crossed for a moment. Then, she hesitantly took a seat next to him. He sent her a quick smile, and she nodded in response. They looked away from each other and sat in silence.

"I'm sorry... About your sister." He whispered after a long moment.

"Which one?" Aurora smirked.

He smiled at her, then sobered up a little. "Vanessa."

"Ah. The super-villain... Well, then I guess you could be sorry about my mom, too."

He looked at her sadly. "She's a villain, too?"

"Oh, yeah. One of the really big baddies."

"Who? If you don't mind me asking..."

She looked at him for a long moment, seeming to be trying to decide if she should really tell him. Would he judge her? Probably not. And there was no doubt that he would be informed soon any way. But somehow it seemed like it would be better for him to find out from someone other than her...

She sighed. No. That would be wrong.

"You may know her as... Maleficent." She finally said.

"Oh... Woah. Seriously?"

She nodded. "Yup. Unfortunately..."

He thought about it for a moment. Then, he asked without really expecting an answer, "What's the story there?"

"Well... In the beginning, everything was perfectly normal. Mom was a happy housewife... And beautiful, _so _beautiful. All the soccer moms envied her." Aurora smiled to herself. "All my friends told me that mom looked like a princess."

"What happened?"

"Meg was born. Mom went nuts. She and dad were always arguing; She would scream at him about how 'this wasn't the life she wanted'. Then she started to get involved with some bad people; She let them do these weird experiments on her; She took whatever drugs they told her to. That how she became...what she is. Dad was furious; He tried to keep her in an asylum; He could accept that she'd always look like a monster, but he prayed every night that she would go back to being the woman he loved. But, about a year later, she escaped. Went totally AWOL. Vanessa and I were ten. Meg was five. We were all pretty sure we'd never see her again. Dad was depressed for a while, but eventually remarried. For a while, things were good again. Though we never really felt like a family."

"And I'm guessing that's what drove Vanessa away?"

Aurora was quiet for a moment. "Vanessa never got over mom leaving. It hurt her the worst. She and mom were really close..." She stopped and sighed. This was the hard part... "Growing up, Vanessa was very...troubled. She was constantly wreaking havoc; She argued with our stepmom a lot. She hated Leah; She enjoyed making her and dad cry. Vanessa became kind of an outsider; She never let go of her hope that mom would come back. Dad had tried three different therapists by the time Vanessa decided she'd had enough. When we were fifteen, she ran away. Vanished without a trace. At that point, dad had been involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. for a few years. The three of us had joined a special program here; After Vanessa left, Meg and I began training to become agents. It wasn't till then that we realized exactly what happened to mom and Vanessa."

There was a moment of silence.

"I'm so sorry." Hercules whispered.

She shrugged. "It's alright. I figure that you yourself know a thing or two about villainous family members." She smirked.

He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah..." He paused thoughtfully. "So...that's your profile. But there's one thing I still don't understand."

"What?"

"Why do they call you Sleeping Beauty?"

"Because she's so good at knocking people out." A new voice said.

Hercules looked up and grinned at the young woman walking toward them. She was tall and lean, but also muscular. She looked like a fighter. Her wavy hair was crimson and reached down to her hips; Her thick red bangs bounced as she walked, dancing in front her black eyes. Her skin was a mint green color, and seemed to shimmer like delicate fish scales under the building's lights. She was in costume: She wore a purple strapless leotard that was open over her stomach (from bust line to naval) and her sides, revealing a pair of gills on either side of her ribcage. She also wore purple heeled boots and short purple gloves. The gloves had pale green blades shaped like fins protruding from them. She carried a menacing trident at her side, but looked perfectly friendly. Her pale green lips were stretched in a welcoming smile and her black eyes seemed to glitter.

Hercules jumped up and ran over to her. He swept her up in a hug, not paying any of her weapons any mind. "Ariella!" He exclaimed with a joyful laugh.

She laughed too. "Hello, cousin." As they ended their hug, she smiled up at him. "Up here, they call me Ariel, by the way."

"So I've heard. Do you have a special code name too?"

"They've taken to calling me Trident." She said with a proud grin, putting her favorite weapon on full display.

He chuckled as he examined the trident. "I wonder why..." He grinned at her again. "It's so good to see you. I was worried that we might not get to meet today."

"Nonsense. I wouldn't miss your first conference with the Director. I mean, I'm the reason you're here."

"Hello, Ariel." Aurora jumped in. "How's Aquaman?"

Ariel shrugged. "He's himself."

Aurora chuckled. "Good to hear." She became more serious. "Am I to understand that you were the only one aware that Hercules was coming?"

Ariel sighed, sensing some kind of scolding coming her way. "Oh, boy..." Her expression turned into an easy smile. "I did actually mention it to the Director. To make sure it was alright."

"It would have been preferable to make all of the agents aware that a demigod would be dropping into our atmosphere." Aurora said sternly.

"But then you wouldn't have been surprised, and that's no fun." Ariel said mockingly. "I got permission from the head honcho, agent. You know, the Director. The only person with an opinion that actually matters. Now, let's quit talking about my cousin like he's not here." She smiled up at Hercules, ignoring Aurora's heated glare. "How are Zeus and Hera?"

"They're fine. Same as always."

"Everything's good on Olympus?"

He nodded. "And how is Poseidon?"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh, dad's just great. He and Neptune still argue from time to time, but you know..." She shrugged. "Happens."

He laughed. "Some things never change."

"Yeah... So how do you like it here so far?"

"Well, it's great! But, uh..." He looked toward Aurora, "Please don't be offended, but..." He turned back to Ariel, "When you said I would be working with some of the most elite agents in the world, I wasn't expecting a bunch of kids with facial piercings and tattoos."

"Sorry to disappoint you." A dry female voice droned from behind them. They all turned to see Aurora's sister, Meg, standing with her arms crossed and her face disapproving. And yes, she was wearing all of her piercings. Her purple eyes were narrowed at Hercules.

"Hey, sis." Aurora said, smirking at Hercules' startled expression.

Meg nodded at her in response, then looked at Hercules again. Her gaze was heavy with scrutiny. "Who's this guy?"

Ariel smiled and gestured toward him. "This is my cousin, Hercules. Son of Zeus and Hera."

Meg raised an eyebrow. "A god?"

"Demigod, actually." He replied sheepishly.

Her eyebrow went back down. "Ah." She didn't seem very impressed.

He cleared his throat. "I am very sorry if I hurt your feelings, ma'am."

Ariel laughed. "Meg doesn't have any feelings to hurt!"

Aurora sent her a sharp look, but Meg was smirking.

Meg chuckled and gave Hercules a playful shove. "Take it easy, Wonder Boy. Be good and I'll let you see my tattoo." She winked.

Hercules was stunned. "Uh...okay."

"Director Disney will see you now!" Ebony called cheerfully from the office door. Ariel gave Hercules a reassuring smile and followed him in. Ebony shut the door after them, leaving Meg and Aurora alone in the hallway.

Aurora sighed. "I hope you didn't do too good a job of scaring him."

Meg smirked. "He's a big boy. I'm sure he's fine."

Aurora nodded. "Right."

"I'm guessing he already knows about Vanessa. And mom." Meg mumbled.

Aurora sent her a cautious look. "Yes. How could you tell?"

"His eyes. When he looked at me. Pity." Meg lounged on the bench and pulled out a cigarette. As it rested between her lips, she pulled out her favorite lighter. It was dark grey with bright blue flames on the sides, clearly not in keeping with her usual color scheme.

Aurora heard the click of the lighter coming to life and turned to glare at her little sister. "You're not allowed to smoke in here."

Meg let the lighter hover just in front of the cigarette and looked up at the blond with raised eyebrows. She was giving Aurora the _What are you gonna do to stop me? _look. Aurora rolled her eyes and turned away, crossing her arms. There was another click, and some shuffling as Meg stuffed the lighter back into one of her belt pockets. A few seconds later, the distinctive odor of smoke wafted clumsily through the air, putting Aurora's mind into a haze. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to collect herself. She absolutely hated smoking; She'd grown up smelling the stink of her dad's "fancy" foreign cigars. Having to deal with her baby sister smoking as well was torturous.

Meg took a long drag, then held the cigarette delicately between her fingers and sighed contentedly. The smoke streamed steadily from her nostrils, a few wisps passing through her thin lips. Aurora turned and watched the smoke waft away above her head and eventually dissipate. She sent Meg a short glare, then looked toward the office door.

"Did you tell him about me?"

Aurora turned to Meg in confusion. "What?"

Meg smirked and spoke with the cigarette sitting in her mouth. "You're always so quick to tell everyone how disturbed Vanessa was growing up; How inevitable it was for her to become a villain. Following in mommy's footsteps... But then you always let them wait to find out just how messed up I am; You never give them any warning."

"They don't need a warning. Because you're not messed up." Aurora spoke honestly. "You're actually pretty normal."

"Vanessa and I aren't that different, you know. Aside from the fact that mom and I hate each other, and always have... Vanessa and I aren't that different. If our childhood is enough to prove where we stand, then I should probably be with her and mom right now."

"Then why are you here?" Aurora's face was completely empty of expression. She hid her nervousness as Meg actually sat there in thought for a few long moments, taking in breath after breath of smoke.

Finally, Meg smirked at her sister. "I guess I like you a lot more than I like them."

Aurora nodded, as if the answer was satisfactory, and not just another veil over Meg's true feelings. No one ever had any idea what Meg was really thinking, what was going on with her. She kept herself constantly hidden behind an iron wall that not even Aurora, who'd practically raised her, could get through.

As if Meg knew Aurora's worry simply by looking at her, which was probably the case, (Meg was excellent at reading people, and she knew Aurora better than anyone), Meg's normally harsh eyes softened considerably as she looked up at her older sister.

"You can't keep going on trying to protect me from everything." Meg said quietly. Aurora could tell by looking into Meg's eyes that right now her baby sister was desperately trying to convince her to give up.

But since Meg wasn't actually saying the words, Aurora just smiled at her and said, "Quit getting yourself in trouble, then."

Meg stared at her for a moment, then smirked and turned away, returning to her cigarette. Aurora grinned and turned back toward the door when she heard it opening. Hercules, Ariel and Ebony all stepped into the hallway, all looking happy. Ebony was carefully shutting the office door as Ariel exclaimed, "He's in!", and clapped Hercules on the shoulder.

"That's excellent." Aurora said with smile.

Ebony turned and gasped at the sight of Meg's cigarette. "Agent Megara! Smoking in this building is strictly prohibited! And it's terrible for you!"

Meg rolled her eyes and abruptly stood up, maliciously flicking cigarette ash all over the floor. "And hearing that voice would be my cue to leave." She stuck her cigarette back into her mouth and smirked at Hercules. "Be seeing you, Wonder Boy." She took one more long drag of her cigarette for Ebony's viewing pleasure, and slowly released the smoke into the air as she strolled away toward the stairs.

While Ebony dramatically coughed and tried in vain to wave the smell away, Aurora and Ariel both rolled their eyes and Hercules gaped after Meg's retreating form. Was she swaying her hips like that on purpose? Wow...

"Wow..." He mumbled, awestruck.

"Don't even think about it." Aurora said flatly, making Ariel laugh.

"Come on, Herc. Let's get you out of those ridiculous clothes." Ariel said, leading the group up to another floor.

"Oh! Are we taking him to Edna?" Ebony asked with thinly-veiled excitement.

Ariel smirked and nodded. "Oh, yeah. Luckily, she's actually in her office today..."

"Uh... Who's Edna?" Hercules asked, frowning.

Apparently, Edna was a crazy little woman who designed all the costumes and uniforms. She'd outfitted many great heroes in her time, including The Incredibles, which Hercules found impressive. She also detested capes; When Hercules asked if he could have one, she just about blew a gasket. She even sent a nasty look toward Ebony's red capelet; Ebony acted like she didn't notice. After this, Edna jumped right into the work.

"I need to take my time to create a special suit for such a special hero." She was saying with her peculiar accent. "Until then, I'll just put you in the standard leather suit. Bullet proof, durable, comfortable, and can withstand any temperature from -100 and 1000 degrees. Good?"

He nodded gratefully. "Sounds like it."

"Unfortunately, the only colors I have are a rich brown and a bright orange."

He pulled a face. "Really?"

She glared at him. "It's either that or nothing!"

"Okay, okay! Brown and orange it is."

She grinned. "Lovely, darling. Now, come here so I can...measure you." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Hercules gulped.

After an hour, Hercules was outfitted in a leather uniform that fit him perfectly, to his amazement. And the color scheme didn't look as bad as he'd pictured it. The girls clapped approvingly as he modeled his suit for them. After thanking Edna immensely, they all headed down to the training room to let Hercules try out the obstacles.

"So. What are your powers, Hercules?" Aurora asked as they stood in the center of the room.

"Super strength, speed, endurance, and a maximized healing factor." He answered as he slowly turned in a circle to examine the whole room.

"Wow! Can you show us?" Ebony asked excitedly.

He nodded, deciding that the first thing to show them would probably be his speed. He told them to wait in the middle of the room and count to twenty. They did as they were told as he zipped around the room repeatedly, so fast that they couldn't follow him with their eyes. They couldn't tell at any time where he was in the room. After exactly twenty seconds, he slowed to a pace that might seem quick to a human and bounded toward them. He hadn't even broken a sweat, and his breathing was perfectly relaxed.

"Guess how many laps I just did?" He asked with a wide grin.

"How many?" Ebony asked, wide-eyed.

"Twenty." He said proudly.

"Holy shit. In twenty seconds?" Aurora asked in shock. "That's one lap per second!"

He nodded. "Yup."

Ariel grinned. "Isn't he great? I bet he could give Flash a run for his money."

"Okay, now show us your strength!" Ebony demanded, bouncing anxiously. "Please?"

Aurora laughed. "Ebony's been looking for a sparring partner that she can't kill."

Hercules looked around until he found a punching bag nearby, with three others lying a few feet from it. He walked over to the hanging bag and gave it a quick, firm punch with his left fist. His arm barely moved, but the bag snapped off its hook and went flying across the room. It crashed into the wall with a deafening crash, then slumped down to the ground, miserably misshapen.

Ebony giggled and clapped her hands. "Oh, wow!"

Aurora stared at the spot where the bag had smacked against the wall. "It's a good thing the walls are fortified with adamantium."

Ariel smirked. "That wasn't even his strong hand."

Hercules then hefted up one of the bags laying on the floor. He used both hands to heave it up above his head, and started to run with it, the same way he had before. The heavy bag didn't slow him down at all. When he stopped, he tossed the bag up, straight above his head. The bag sailed up till it smashed against the ceiling. As it fell back down toward him, he simply held his right fist above him. His fist sliced right through the bag, splitting it in half and making a nice mess.

He finished up by grabbing the other two bags, one in each hand, and spinning them in circles, held out at arms length. After a few seconds of charging up the speed, he whipped his arms around the front of him, creating an X, and released the bags so that they flew to opposite sides of the room. Each bag hit a wall and exploded.

All this, and he wasn't even tired.

"Woah!"

The four of them looked toward the door to see a bunch of recruits standing there. They'd seen the last demonstration, at least.

The red-haired boy named Peter was grinning, his brown eyes shining deviously. "Cool!"

Ebony squealed in delight. "I know, right?!"

Hercules blushed and looked down at his feet, a shy smile apparent on his boyish face.

Aurora walked over and grinned up at him, bringing him to attention.

"Welcome to the team." She said, patting his arm. He grinned at her.

"Alright, kids. What's the-" A very tired Tiana was saying before she paused to look around the mess of a training room. She smirked at Aurora. "Did we interrupt something?"

Aurora laughed. "No. We were just letting our new teammate look around." She gestured toward Hercules. "Swamp Lily, meet..." She paused and frowned at Hercules. "Did the Director give you a code name?"

"He said I could just go by my name. Thor does it." He shrugged.

"What, you don't like Wonder Boy?" Ariel teased, playfully punching his shoulder.

Aurora smirked and turned back to Tiana. "This is Hercules, Tia."

Tiana nodded at him. "Nice to meet you. Welcome to S.H.E.I.L.D."

He smiled. "Thanks. I'm happy to be here."


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"Well, I hope that everyone has given Hercules a warm welcome today." Director Disney started the conference that evening, with all agents and heroes in attendance. The recruits were having free time, away from everyone else. Mr. Porter and Maurice were excused to keep an eye on the kids, but both their daughters were present and cheerful as ever. Disney gestured toward where Hercules sat to the side of the room. Hercules blushed slightly, then stood and gave everyone a quick bow as they clapped for him. He smiled and waved awkwardly before sitting down, his chair creaking loudly underneath him. He looked down at it uneasily while Ebony giggled and Aurora smirked on either side of him. He gave each of them a nervous grin while a few other people laughed. Disney smiled and continued to address the crowd. "Now I think it would be a good idea to show him what we're up against. Let's brief him on our enemies, shall we? Thorn, is the presentation ready?"

Belle, who was working a computer at the back of the room, nodded and hit a key on the keyboard. Disney took a few steps away so that he stood at the side of the room opposite where Hercules sat, folding his arms over his chest and watching as Belle brought an image up on the floor-to-ceiling window the Director had just been standing in front of. The window, which was basically a wall of thick, bullet - proof glass, darkened a little so that the bright images and files showed up clearly. A picture of a Middle Eastern looking young woman completely clad in dark leather was standing before them, her lean arms crossed and her bright, aqua-colored eyes narrowed at them all.

"Sadira, a fairly new Runner, one of Jafar's cronies. Recently pulled a successful robbery of a museum in N.Y.C. Got away with two very important artifacts." Disney supplied in explanation. Hercules noticed that Aurora ducked her head on the last part, seeming ashamed of something. Hercules was about to try to ask her what was up when a loud voice caught everyone's attention.

"I thought we all agreed that her codename should be 'The Sand Witch'!" Kuzco (a.k.a. "Llama Man") cried obnoxiously from the middle of the room. A few people sent him disapproving looks, rolled their eyes or scoffed. Aladdin groaned and ran a hand over his face and Jasmine patted his shoulder consolingly.

Disney sighed. "No. No, Kuzco. No one ever agreed to that."

Kuzco shrugged and looked down at his fingernails in boredom.

Disney looked over at Belle and nodded, murmuring, "Continue."

Belle silently obliged, putting up the next image. A burly man with long black hair tied back in a ponytail and piercing blue eyes grinned devilishly down at them. He was massive, about as big as Hercules. Actually, maybe bigger than Hercules. He wore a red body suit with yellow boots, gloves, belt and eye mask. His cocky and egocentric demeanor was plain in this photo as he flexed for the camera.

_Who even took these pictures? _Hercules wondered with a frown.

"Gaston. Goes by the alias 'Goliath'.His strength has so far been unmatched, except maybe by Ebony. But he's also indestructible, so even she hasn't been able to bring him down." Disney explained briefly. "He's a threat to anyone who crosses his path. Especially women. The man is ruthless."

"And a pig." Belle spat before furiously tapping a key to bring up the next picture. Hercules looked over at her carefully, sensing the solemnity of everyone else in the room. He had a sneaking suspicion of what this man might have done to make Belle despise him. Hercules quickly turned his attention to the new image, not wanting to dwell on anything too unpleasant. The next villain was an incredibly tall, lanky man who was so thin he was nearly skeletal. He was dressed in dark clothes, including a coat and top hat, and carried a walking stick with a purple orb at the end of it. He wore a strange, voodoo - like talisman around his neck, and his vibrant purple eyes shone mischievously, standing out against his richly colored skin. In the background, his unnaturally black shadow was twisting in an odd way, seeming to move independently of the man, as if it was its own being. Hercules almost shuddered at the eerie sight of the thing.

"Dr. Facilier, a.k.a. 'The Shadow Man'. Dark energy runs through this man's veins. He started out as a simple con-man, but somewhere along the way, things took a twist, and he got mixed up with some vengeful spirits. He uses that talisman- the source of his power- to do evil deeds to screw people over and please his 'friends on the other side' in exchange for their services. Very bad business..." Disney narrowed his eyes at this man, seeming particularly disturbed by him. "Next one, Belle."

The next person to come up was an older woman, with wide, crazed eyes sunken into her skull, wrinkles for days, and a bony figure. And she wore a _lot _of makeup. She looked way too old to be a super villain. She looked more like a person who had lad a long, sad life of substance abuse and low self-esteem.

"Yzma... Now, this woman is really something." Disney shook his head regretfully. "Poses as a principle at an elementary school... Goes by the name Amzy." He paused briefly to roll his eyes. "She's a lunatic; a drug lord. She also specializes in poisons. Mad scientist type..." He gestured for Belle to move on, and a photo of a larger guy with a surprisingly innocent demeanor and a big, dumb smile popped up on the wall. "This is Kronk, one of her accomplices/delivery boys, kind of her right-hand man. Though I doubt he really makes a good body guard..." Disney smirked in amusement. "He's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, if you know what I mean." He chuckled, then noticed Hercules' expression of utter confusion. "Nevermind... Moving on."

Up next came a rather hefty woman with a short, spiky white hairdo, black eyes and dramatically done makeup. Her skin was an unsettling lavender color and instead of legs she had eight slimy, black tentacles. Like an octopus. She showed off her sharpened teeth in a manic grin.

"Ursula. 'The Sea Witch'." Ariel suddenly spoke up. Hercules looked over at his cousin as she explained, this name grabbing his attention more than the others. He was sure he'd heard it once before, and judging by Ariel's expression, it was a name that wasn't mentioned lightly in Atlantis. If it was ever mentioned at all. "She used to live with us at the palace... She was Poseidon's loyal confidant, a medicine woman who sometimes used her magic to grant wishes. But at some point, she became a dark, evil woman, and bolstered her magic through dishonesty and trickery, soiling the souls of many in the kingdom. Eventually, she was banished to dwell in the darkest depths with the eels. She despises Atlantis now, and all who live in it. I suppose she believes that this alliance with S.H.E.I.L.D.'s enemies will help her have her vengeance on Poseidon and ultimately lead her to rule the Undersea Kingdom."

"We won't let that happen." Hercules cut in instinctually.

Ariel sent him a quick smile. "I know, cousin."

Belle sighed. "Next up..."

A picture of a tall, portly man in a fancy suit and his nose turned up in the air came up in the projection.

"Governor Ratcliffe." Disney sighed "One of our own politicians, working with the enemy. Selling them a lot of dangerous government secrets in exchange for power. We've been working really hard to have him put away, but it's hard. To the public, he's a saint."

Next up was a strikingly beautiful woman with electric green eyes and pursed red lips and gorgeously structured cheekbones. Her expression was one of contempt and if her hair wasn't tucked away in her black cowl, you would see that it was long and black. Her hood flowed down into an elegant black cloak that enveloped the entirety of her shapely, supple body.

"Grimhilde. A vain, vile woman. She can alter people's perceptions so that they only see what she wants them to see, and she can play powerful tricks on weaker minds to make them do terrible things." Disney explained.

Next up was another tall, lean man in an extravagant black robe with a tall turban atop his head. His long, gaunt face held an expression that was bored, stern, and full of malice. His eyes shone yellow and his fingernails were black, pointed claws. Though it couldn't be seen in the photo, he also had menacing, venomous fangs and a forked tongue.

"Jafar. 'King Cobra'. He's been a real thorn in our sides lately. Like I said earlier, Sadira works for him, and she recently stole two artifacts for him. He's the unofficial leader of this new league of super villains. And he's getting stronger every day he avoids capture at our hands. His powers include mind-control, and turning into a giant snake when he's steamed. But if he keeps getting stronger at this rate, he could have phenomenal cosmic power. We have to catch him and lock him up A.S.A.P." Disney said sternly.

This man was older, lean and regal, his dark eyes narrowed as he looked down at them over his long, crooked nose.

"Judge Claude Frollo. A merciless cad. The very official that Phoebus took down years back in France." Disney stated.

"Unfortunately, he wasn't apprehended or killed." Phoebus said flatly, a light French accent gracing his calm, soothing voice. "He got away, escaped to America. Somehow found his way here."

"Is that why you're here?" Hercules asked before he could stop himself.

Phoebus smirked at him. "I'm here because I was called here. Frollo's presence is just a plus." He turned to glare at the picture.

"He's a judge in the Disney court system now. He's allowed a lot of the enemy's allies to go free without suspicion. A lot of people have been pissed, but we have no real grounds to arrest him on. Very frustrating." Disney nodded at Belle, signaling for her to move on. The next photo made a few people groan. This man was short and misshapen, horribly deformed, with a hunched back. His eyes gave away his youth, shining with childlike wonder in a strangely boyish face. Disney began to explain while a lot of the group ducked their heads or just looked away uncomfortably. "Quasimodo, Frollo's assistant. He actually seems completely ignorant of Frollo's misdeeds. Or his judgment is just impaired because Frollo raised him."

Hercules looked pitifully at Quasimodo's distorted form. He'd never seen a person like this; not even Hepheastus, with his twisted legs, compared to this boy. And yet he seemed like an unordinarily kind soul, the kind of man Hercules would wish to know. He felt this sudden heart-wrenching feeling that Quasimodo should be in this room with them, on their side, instead of being a target due to his association with a cruel man like Frollo.

"Hey, you're supposed to warn us before you bring up pictures of this creep!" A gruff voice cried indignantly from the back of the crowd of agents. Hercules turned to see that it was Adam who had spoken. Agent Brom Bones sat by his side, ducking his head and chuckling under his breath. Adam continued, "Seriously, you can't just throw his image at us like that. The guy's got the looks of a movie monster!" He grinned maliciously at his own joke. A few others laughed. Hercules noticed both Aurora and Meg shooting Adam nasty glares.

"You're one to talk." Belle stated clearly.

Adam turned to glare at her. "Excuse you?!"

"Come on, man..." Naveen tried to intervene, but Adam held up a hand to silence him.

"There's a reason why you're called 'The Beast', Adam." Belle explained in a voice so soothing that Adam seemed to visibly relax. "You of all people should be sympathetic to this boy for being judged for something he has no control over, genetic features he didn't ask for."

Esmeralda, who'd been smiling proudly at Belle as she spoke, now turned to give Adam a somber look. "Honestly, shame on you." She looked around at the others as well. "I think everyone here can stand to be a little less judgmental."

There was a long silence. Adam crossed his arms haughtily over his chest and sunk down in his chair, pouting like a child. Director Disney let this go on for another moment, letting Belle and Esmeralda's words sink in to every mind. Hercules marveled at this. He couldn't help feeling that things didn't run this way in other S.H.I.E.L.D divisions... This place was an anomaly. It wasn't the government facility or militaristic agents he'd been expecting. Ariel seemed to sense what he was thinking (even as demigods, their familial mental connection was strong) and sent him a quick, almost imperceptible wink.

Finally, of her own accord, Belle brought up the next picture. This photo featured two women; one older and bony in a heavy fur coat, half of her hair dyed black while the other half was left its naturally silvery-white. The other woman was middle-aged, with her red hair stylishly cut, and her sad, sagging form embellished by an unflattering dress, her face heavily painted. Both women sneered at the camera.

"Cruella DeVil and Madame Medusa, partners in crime. They basically own our retail market. Cruella's specialty is illegal fur trade, while Medusa is partial to child labor and stolen jewels." Disney said as unenthusiastically as possible, showing his thorough disapproval.

The next photo was another duo, two girls who were identical aside from different hair colors: one was brunette, the other red-headed. They were both gangly and incredibly unattractive, wearing brightly-colored leotards and tights that showed off their lanky, unappealing bodies. They also wore ballet slippers that revealed how large and clumsy their feet were. Their little eye masks did nothing to shield their characteristic features. The brunette wore turquoise and green while the redhead wore magenta and pink.

"The Tremaine Sisters- Drizella and Anastasia. Their mother is a wealthy modeling agent. She raised her daughters to be vain, selfish and cruel. They're both equipped with a super-sonic scream and powers of manipulating vibrations of the earth to create mass destruction."

"Well, how else could they get their way all the time?" Meg commented with a smirk, earning a few laughs.

Next was a man taller than any that Hercules had ever seen before, and slim enough to almost be insubstantial, his dark clothes making him look like a formless shadow. He was completely colorless, with spiky black hair and grey skin. The only spots of color on him were his gleaming yellow eyes, which were shrouded in unnatural shadow.

"Pitch Black, the self-proclaimed 'Boogie Man'. His mind is a powerful and dangerous one. He can infiltrate the mind and twist it around easily, impairing judgment, creating visions and mirages, triggering specific parts of the brain to make a person's worst nightmares appear real. He creates these 'nightmares' with a special black sand, driven by dark, evil energy. You have to be careful dealing with him... Right, Jack?"

All eyes turned to Jack Frost, who was staring evenly and stoically up at the image of Pitch Black. Elsa sat protectively beside her brother and placed a pale, comforting hand on his leather-clad shoulder. He sent her a quick, reassuring look before turning to Hercules and saying, "He's the most dangerous man I've ever encountered. I don't think he's even a man... You always have to watch your back, keep your mind strong and heavily guarded with Pitch. He could be anywhere at any time, blending seamlessly into the shadows, invisible to the naked eye..."

A few agents looked around the room in paranoia. Disney nodded and motioned for Belle to move on again. She quickly did so.

A surprisingly young girl- young enough to be a recruit here- popped up. Her dark hair was held up in a pony tail while long, whispy strands hung down in the front, framing her angled face, and thick, curly bangs shielded her eyes, which shone a vibrant purple. Hercules couldn't help thinking this girl bore a strong resemblance to Meg, though this girl was much daintier, and ghostly pale. Her ears were pointed and her slim fingers were tipped by elegant black claws. She wore a lavender, strapless leotard that left her entire back uncovered so that a pair of delicate, wiry wings could protrude freely from between her shoulder blades and comfortably move to carry her. She also wore dark purple leggings, and no shoes or gloves. She only wore the minimal amount of clothing to protect herself from the elements, but she needed to wear as little as possible in order to move quickly through the air.

"Vidia, also known as 'Invidia'. Only 14 years old; their only under aged recruit. Presumably an orphan that they picked up. Since she had nowhere else to go, she practically ran to them for safety. Humanity hasn't been very kind to her, so she's naturally compelled to work against our best interest."

The image of a strikingly beautiful, curvy woman in a sultry red dress came up next. Her hair was curly and dark, with a few strands of grey shining like wire. Her eyes were heavy-lidded, stony, steel-grey. She smirked knowingly at the camera.

"Mother Gothel, Vidia's unofficial caretaker and trainer. She's excellent at throwing knives and guerilla warfare, a stealthy woman. Best to watch your back if she's involved in a mission."

Another woman popped up, an unnessecary air of elegance and haughty sophistication settling over her tall, regal and imposing figure. She was dressed in flattering, dark fabrics that wafted around her like dark clouds, shimmering blues and silvers as well as transparent greys and black. A silvery tiara was nestled in her carefully styled black hair.

"Narissa, also known as 'Copy Cat'. She gains her power through contact with other mutants. Sort of a mimic. Not really much of a threat, though she likes to think of herself as one."

Next came a lean, strong man dressed in some kind of a steampunk fashion, almost like a pirate. His long black hair was left wild under a captain's hat. He wore layers and layers and bullet - proof material, armor and weaponry, and protective goggles over his eyes. In the place of his right hand was a menacing adamantium hook.

"Captain Hook, the villains' artillery expert. Got caught up smuggling child slaves years back and ended up in a firefight that cost him his hand. He...hasn't quite been the same since."

"The guy's crazy." Jim Hawkins added smugly. Merida laughed so hard at this that she snorted. A few others laughed as well.

Disney smirked. "Yes, yes, that's hilarious, isn't it?" His sarcasm was obvious. Everyone quieted down.

The next photo was of a young woman that Hercules immediately recognized due to her striking resemblance to Aurora and Meg. Her violet eyes were narrowed and her pretty red lips were settled in a natural, proud smirk. Her brown hair flowed down around her tiny waist. She wore a black corset top tied uncomfortably tight, dark purple leather pants and jacket, black leather heeled boots and fingerless gloves. She wore a necklace with a heavy seashell pendant sitting on her delicate, lovely collarbone. On each hip sat a heavy pistol, and around each thigh a deadly dagger was strapped. Hercules didn't doubt that more weapons were concealed under her jacket.

Disney looked carefully toward Aurora and Meg. Meg's eyes were focused intently on a scuff mark on the toe of her combat boots. Aurora's jaw was set. The blond nodded at the Director and he began the briefing.

"Vanessa, one of their most dangerous agents. She's been trained more vigorously, more intensely, and more ruthlessly than anyone in this building; pushed multiple times to past her breaking point by an alliance of cruel, merciless people. Now she's one of the most ruthless mercenaries to ever exist. She would not hesitate to kill any of us. She is the culmination of many dangerous minds in one finely-tuned body."

Hercules sensed the tension between the two sisters sitting to his left. Meg and Aurora were both preparing themselves for what was coming next. He stared intently at the projection as it changed from the stunningly beautiful Vanessa to what he could only describe as a demon. He felt his immortal heart skip a beat at the sight of her.

Maleficent.

It had to be her. No other being could live up to a name like that by merely being seen in a photo. She was at once elegant and monstrous, regal and hideous, graceful and spiteful, the embodiment of evil yet with an unearthly, unnatural beauty in her haunting features. Her face was classically angled and sharp, with reptilian yellow eyes dramatically painted, fine red lips pursed wisely, and skin sickly green. Her hairless skull was encased in black, inky scales that rippled up her throat and around her lean face, disappearing under the throat-hugging collar that began the course of a protective, flowing black robe. Two twisted black horns sprouted from the top of her head and reached upward, the demonic outpouring of her dark soul. Her elegant black robe covered her entirety aside from her slim green hands, the ring finger of her left hand holding a heavy ring set with some unearthly stone. The many folding skirted layers flowed around her and reached out over the ground like a swelling pool of black liquid. Here and there was a faint accent of deep, dark purple. In her right hand she firmly held a black scepter with a glowing green orb at the tip of it. A massive black crow sat proudly on her left shoulder.

"Maleficent." Disney stated quietly. He didn't have to be quiet; the room had gone completely, inhumanly silent at the sight of her. It was as though saying her name above a whisper would be like an invitation for her to appear suddenly in a cloud of smoke and make all their hearts stop beating. "The unfortunate outcome of a string of scientific experiments and illegal drug use. Her genes and mind were altered considerably, and she abandoned her family for a life of crime. One daughter followed."

"Vanessa." Hercules whispered.

Disney nodded, then continued with his eyes trained carefully on Maleficent's depiction. "Maleficent is a dangerous, unstable woman. Everything she does is purely out of spite. There isn't an ounce of humanity left in her."

"Yup. That's dear old mom." Meg droned quietly. A few agents shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Hercules looked over at her carefully, but she was still focused on her shoe. Aurora was regretfully ducking her head.

"Maleficent's powers are also fueled by a dark, otherworldly energy. She can do many things: Teleport, control and alter minds, shapeshift, fly, create illusions, telekinesis, creation and manipulation of unnatural flame. And she also carries poisonous darts with her at all times. She never misses." Disney sent a quick, concerned look toward Aurora, but she was too busy staring down at her lap. Hercules decided to ignore this exchange for now, though he would definitely be asking Aurora about it later. Disney looked over toward Belle, who nodded and brought up the last image. At the sight of it, Hercules blanched. Ariel saw his face and sighed, standing up and walking toward the projection. She gestured toward the hideous face that she and Hercules both knew too well.

"Recognize him, cousin?" Ariel asked him, displeasure obvious in her tone.

A few people looked warily toward Hercules, but most just glared at the photo. Hercules shook his head in disbelief.

"Hades..." He hissed.

Ariel nodded. "That's right."

"But, I... I thought I-"

"Destroyed him?" Ariel looked at him sympathetically, then glowered up at the picture on the wall. "I'm afraid not."

_No... It can't be... _Hercules thought in shock.

But it definitely was Hades. There was no mistake. In the photo, his dark, massive form stood in profile, looking down at something invisible, probably a person who'd been cut out of the candid photo. Hades wore his traditional black armor, heavy and massive, yet delicately carved and designed, with menacing, venomous spikes adorning the shoulders, forearms and knees. His face couldn't be seen through his helmet, which was engulfed in blue flame. The only thing that could be made out were the glowing yellow eyes that burned like angry embers, and the vague shape of an exposed skull, gleaming black like tar in the heart of the blue flame. A massive broadsword was strapped to his mighty back.

"This is why I requested your presence, Heracles." Ariel said quietly.

"We recently spotted him speaking with our biggest worry in an abandoned warehouse..." Disney was saying. Belle clicked a key and the photo expanded to reveal Jafar looking up at Hades, completely unafraid of the God of the Underworld. Disney continued, "We can only assume that Hades is the real mastermind behind this little villainous alliance. Any idea what he might be after?"

All eyes were on Hercules. He stared blankly at the picture for a moment, then turned to Disney and shook his head. "I... I don't know. Last time he was set on taking over Olympus, but..." He squinted at Jafar. "I don't know how these people could help him with that."

"These villains are much stronger and more powerful than you might be giving them credit for, Hercules." Aurora said stoically. "Demigod or not, it would do you good not to underestimate them. And if they're working with Hades- or for him- he's probably only helping them to grow stronger. I'm sure he had something to do with the recent robbery."

Hercules nodded in understanding. "So... You want me to take down Hades?"

"It might be necessary. And you seem like the only person who can. But you will have a team of agents to assist you." Disney said.

Hercules sighed. "It won't be easy..."

"But it's possible?" Ebony asked.

He smiled at her. "Of course it is." He turned to Disney. "You can count on me."

Ariel smirked proudly at the Director. "Didn't I tell you, Walt?"

Disney chuckled and nodded. "Yes, it seems that we did indeed call the right guy." He looked over the rest of the crowd, which seemed a bit at ease now. "Alright. Meeting adjourned. Everyone get some rest. But wish those boys luck." He pointed toward a group of men consisting of John Smith, Jim Hawkins, Commander Rourke, Phoebus and Kocoum. "They'll be heading into the sewers tonight in search of Sadira."

A few people cheered or clapped in approval, but a lot of people just nodded and headed toward the door. Aurora kept her head down and left immediately. Hercules followed her while Ebony went to speak to Disney about something. On the way out, Hercules noticed Kocoum and Willow sharing an intimate goodbye. As Kocoum pulled away from her and headed toward where Rourke and Jim had already gathered, John passed by Willow and the two shared a look. John's eyes looked sad, but he smiled reassuringly at her. Willow's concern was evident in her expression, but when she looked at John, her eyes shone with something like deep admiration. John joined the other three men, but Phoebus was lingering by the computer with Belle. Hercules watched as Phoebus kept Belle's hands clasped between his gently. She was smiling up at him. As he slowly pulled away, his fingers lingered on hers. She watched him walk toward his team. Hercules ducked his head and followed Aurora outside. Meg trailed him, looking furious. Once they were out in the hall, Meg gripped the arm of her retreating sister and spun her around. The other agents passed the three of them by like nothing was happening, but Hercules watched warily.

"You can't really let Disney send them down there." Meg growled at Aurora.

Aurora stared evenly back at her younger sister. "There's nothing I can do, Meg."

"Bullshit." Meg hissed.

"If this is what the Director wants to do, this is what we're going to do."

" 'We'? It's not us going down there, Aurora. Those are our friends!"

"They are agents, Meg! Just like us. If the Director gives any of us an order, we follow it."

"The Director isn't always right!"

"Meg, stop!" Aurora barked.

Meg's jaw locked and the sisters stared hard at each other for a long time. Hercules stood by and watched. Finally, Meg laughed bitterly and shook her head.

"So is this all we are now? Lapdogs? Mindless soldiers?"

Aurora sighed. "Meg..."

"This isn't what I signed up for." Meg brushed past her older sister and stormed away.

Aurora shook her head and looked down at her feet, placing her hands on her hips. Hercules awkwardly ducked his head and they stood together in silence for a moment. Finally, he looked up again and stepped toward her.

"Aurora..."

"Agent!" An authoritative voice called from the doorway to the conference room. Hercules and Aurora turned to see a pair of giggling Chinese people, one male and one female, walking toward them. Aurora visibly relaxed at the sight of them, realizing that it was the boy who'd called her. Hercules immediately recognized the girl as Mai Li and smiled at her, but he didn't know who the boy was. He figured he had to be related to Mai Li, though. The resemblance was unmistakable. Mai Li giggled and hugged Aurora, muttering something in Chinese.

"That conference was intense, yeah?" The boy asked Aurora with a soft smile.

Aurora laughed as she pulled away from Mai Li and nodded at both of them. "Yeah, uh..." She fiddled with her ponytail. "Yeah, it was. But, it was important, obviously." She chuckled and gestured toward Hercules. Twin pairs of oval-shaped brown eyes turned to gape up at the demigod. Mai Li started to chatter unintelligibly in Chinese at him. He raised his eyebrows in confusion. The boy laughed and said, "So you're the god from Olympus. The one who's been called down to help us?"

It took Hercules a moment to realize that Mai Li understood but didn't speak English and that this boy was translating for her. "Uh... Yes, I am. The name's Hercules."

Mai Li laughed and said something else he didn't understand. The boy said, "Yes, we know." He gestured toward Mai Li. "This is Mai Li. I am her brother, Ping."

Hercules nodded. "Nice to meet you both."

Mai Li gave him a little bow and muttered something. Ping followed suit and translated, "And it is nice to meet you, friend." They both stood and smiled at him. "Now, if you will excuse us, we have to grab some dinner for our family. See you around!" Mai Li waved before following her brother out of the building.

Hercules waved back while Aurora called, "See you guys!"

Hercules looked down at her in confusion. "He's not an agent?" He'd noticed that Ping was casually dressed while Mai Li wore business attire.

"No, but he sure comes in handy." Aurora replied.

"Why can he speak English and she can't?"

Aurora looked sadly after the retreating forms of the Chinese siblings. "Because where they're from, not many women get an education. Especially not ones from poorer families."

Hercules nodded in understanding.

Aurora looked up at him with a smirk. "Come on. Let's hit the training room."

Later that night, while most of Disney city slept, the team of five men were preparing to lower themselves below the city streets. Rourke lifted up a grate in the middle of a deserted street and directed his men into it. He was the last one to climb in, pulling the grate shut over them. He dropped down to the ground amongst his men and they all took a few seconds to look around. Thankfully, they weren't actually in a sewer. Clean water ran through the canal beside them.

"Alright, men." Rourke started in his rough tone. "Two of you go that way..." He gestured to the right. Then he pointed left, where the path went in two directions. "Two of you take that left, and I'll take the right. And we'll all just push on. If it gets to be morning and we haven't found anything, we'll head back to HQ. Got that?"

The other four men nodded in agreement. John and Kocoum headed to the right while Rourke, Jim and Phoebus headed left. Phoebus and Jim ended up taking the left of the forked tunnels and Rourke disappeared into the right. Everyone remained silent. They went on like this for hours, quietly traversing the underground, peeking carefully around every corner.

Eventually, John and Kocoum found themselves in a cavernous stone space of winding pipes and a rushing river of water.

"We must be under a building..." John murmured, surprised by his echo. Kocoum gave him a stern nod and looked around thoughtfully, his navigation skills taking over.

"I think we're underneath the Buena Vista Mall..." He whispered calmly.

John nodded and muttered, "Well, we'll have to be careful here... If Sadira finds us and is looking for a fight, this place could-"

In that instant, a pipe burst and water poured over the pair of them. Temporarily blinded, they couldn't react in time to avoid the large pipe swinging down from overhead. It caught John by the waist and whipped him into the wall.

"John!" Kocoum shouted over the water hissing overhead. He heard metallic popping sound behind him and this time dove to the side before another pipe could crush him. But now he was further away from John, who was obviously injured and in need of help. Kocoum felt frustration rise up in him and started to try to find a way around the violently shuddering and jumping pipes between him and John. But then more pipes continued to burst and leap into his way. A massive pipe managed to collapse onto his leg as he was trying to climb over a different one, effectively pinning him. Kocoum cried out involuntarily as his leg was crushed.

A couple blocks away, the echoing sound of metal screeching, water rushing, and men shouting caught the attention of Jim and Phoebus.

"Let's go!" Phoebus commanded, not hesitating to run toward the sounds. Jim followed him without a second thought. The two sprinted to where John and Kocoum were. They came in and stood on a grate elevated above the endangered men, on the opposite side of the room. They watched as more pipes seemed to burst of their own accord and fall onto Kocoum. John was incapacitated.

"Kocoum!" Jim shouted and started to climb down to help. Phoebus followed suit. They were halfway down when the metal they were descending started to vibrate rapidly, buzzing as the stone below them shifted and melted away to sand. The ground beneath Kocoum was giving away and the heavy pipes were dragging him toward the rushing water behind him. John finally seemed to collect himself and leapt toward Kocoum, gripping his arm with both hands. Kocoum screamed as the pipes continued to pull on his injured leg. Water was beating down on them from every direction and soaking them. Jim and Phoebus were running to John's aid when John started to feel Kocoum slipping from his grasp. He looked up to see that Kocoum had grown paler and was losing consciousness. His injury was worse than he'd thought. John desperately gripped at Kocoum's sleeve, trying to keep him from sliding down the sand and into the water. Phoebus and Jim were just now reaching them. The pipes became too much for John to bear and he was now slipping down along with Kocoum, who'd finally passed out. Phoebus and Jim grabbed ahold of John and started to pull him up.

"Don't let go of him, John!" Phoebus shouted over the deafening roar of the water.

John grunted with the effort of trying to hold onto Kocoum. "He's slipping!"

"Shit!" Jim yelled. The cement below his feet had become sand and was turning mushy as the water soaked it. His feet were sliding around uncontrollably. Phoebus's own feet were having trouble finding traction against the slick stone, and Jim wiggling around beside him was throwing off everyone's balance.

"I can't hold him!" John cried in panic.

"John, you have to!" Phoebus yelled back, trying to keep himself calm.

"Where the hell is Rourke?!" Jim demanded.

Phoebus shook his head. "It doesn't matter! Come on, now! Pull harder!"

Jim gritted his teeth, trying to wrench John's body upward. But the sand slipped away beneath him and he fell. Now Phoebus was trying to hold everyone up. He groaned in pain as they were all stuck hanging there.

"Phoebus!" Jim screamed.

"I've got you!" He shouted back, the water pouring over his face and blinding him.

There was a whining sound of metal scraping against stone and the pressure of trying to hold them all up became stronger. Phoebus felt like his arms were about to give out. John shouted something unintelligible below.

"What?!" Phoebus called.

The pipes were suddenly caught in the currant of the water and ripped away, taking away a lot of the weight that Phoebus was trying to support. He sighed and stumbled to his knees.

"_No! _" John shouted, reaching toward the water.

"Kocoum!" Jim cried painfully.

Phoebus realized now that the heavy pipes had taken Kocoum with them, and now all had disappeared into the water. Phoebus groaned and helped Jim and John climb back up.

"We have to go after him!" Jim panted.

"We can't." Phoebus shook his head as he watched the water rush rapidly by and disappear at the end of the canal, probably to drop further underground. "Jim..."

There was a crashing sound. The pipes had reached whatever lay below. Kocoum was most likely crushed.

John started to run toward the sound, but Phoebus stopped him.

"John. No one could have survived that..." Phoebus murmured sadly. John hung his head in defeat and sank to his knees, pushing his hands into his hair. Jim kneeled beside him and patted his shoulder. Phoebus was having a hard time trying to keep himself together. "Guys, he's..." Phoebus sighed shakily. "He's gone."

No one could hear John over the water that continued to spew above and below them, but his shaking shoulders were enough to let them know he was crying. John was a strong man. He never cried. But Phoebus and Jim both figured that he was blaming himself for Kocoum's death.

The sound of a woman's laughter overhead made the three of them turn up, newly alert. Vanessa and Sadira stepped out of the shadows on a grate above them, both smirking down at the three agents. Vanessa kneeled down and continued to laughed while Sadira stood with her arms crossed and sneered.

"Oh... That's too bad, isn't it?" Vanessa mocked them, giving them an exaggerated pout. Then she cackled again.

Sadira grinned maliciously down at them. "You should have known better than to follow me. Now, how do you want to die? Do you want me to bury you alive? Or would you rather take the easy way out and let Vanessa shoot you in the heads?" She giggled as Vanessa stood up and whipped out her pistols, already aiming them. "Make your decision quickly, boys."

The three men glared up at the two women, then shared a quick look, as if silently agreeing to something. Then, with lightning-quick speed, Jim pulled out his own gun and fired at Vanessa. The bullet grazed the back of her hand and she screeched, dropping one of her guns. She screamed angrily and aimed her second gun at Jim's head. She didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. But Jim dove out of the way. John and Phoebus leapt in opposite directions as well, avoiding Vanessa's rapid and indecisive bullets. When she was down to her last bullet, she unleashed a furious cry that seemed to shake the earth and this time when she fired, she hit her target.

"John!" Jim shouted.

John had been hit. The bullet had burst through his heart and found its way out of his back. He sagged down to his knees, then turned over and fell head -first into the water. The currant carried him away, just as it had with Kocoum.

"John! _No! _" Jim screamed. In blind fury, he began to climb up to where Vanessa and Sadira were standing.

"Jim, don't!" Phoebus called, but Jim couldn't hear him.

Meanwhile, Vanessa groaned and stowed her pistol. "Shit!" She hissed. "Out of ammo..."

"Are you serious?!" Sadira demanded haughtily. "Where's your other gun?"

Vanessa searched frantically around below them, but didn't see it anywhere. And Jim was getting closer... She groaned and shook her head. "It must have fallen into the water!"

"Oh, _great _job, idiot! Ugh!" Sadira crossed her arms in aggravation. "I bet you're mom's gonna be _so _proud. Jafar's never gonna let me hear the end of this..."

"Would you just handle these assholes so we can get out of here?!" Vanessa snapped furiously.

Sadira roles her eyes, then narrowed them at the walls around them. The stone began to crack and crumble, the ground shaking dangerously as everything began to start crashing down... Conveniently, around Phoebus. He kept trying to run and dodge the debris, but Sadira was merciless and kept raining stone and dust onto him. Meanwhile, Vanessa was keeping Jim at bay by destroying the metal grates and ladders he was climbing with her mind. He stared up at her in disbelief when he realized it was her doing it. As far as S.H.I.E.L.D. knew, Vanessa had no powers.

Sadira finally subdued Phoebus by dropping some cement onto his back. He shouted and collapsed under it, hitting his head hard against the ground. Vanessa redirected some pipes telekinetically so that water continued to pour over Phoebus.

"Oh, no! You've already lost two men, Hawkins! Are you gonna risk letting a _third _one die?" Vanessa taunted Jim. Sadira laughed at her side.

Jim was conflicted. He couldn't let them get away... This could be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s only chance to find Jafar's lair. But even if Jim did track them to it, there was no telling that he would come back. And he couldn't let Phoebus die in order to avenge John and Kocoum. Jim watched as the two villainesses slunk away into the darkness and disappeared. Then Jim dropped down and ran over to Phoebus. Everything was still falling down around them; whether it was Sadira's doing or just the structure naturally crumbling, Jim had no idea. But he didn't care. All that mattered now was getting Phoebus out of here. This mission had been enough of a failure. Jim struggled against the forceful water pouring down on Phoebus and pinning him. His hands slipped multiple times as he tried to lift the concrete off of Phoebus, but eventually he got it off. Then he lifted the limp body of his partner over his shoulders and carried him out, carefully dodging streams of water and falling debris on his way. He managed to get away just before the building overhead collapsed and sank into the ground.


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters was silent the next day. Every agent was stoic as they milled about the building, carrying on with business. A lot were absent to assist with cleaning up the collapsed shopping mall downtown. Thankfully, no one had been in the building; Mall security was gathered outside to look into an unauthorized vehicle on the premises. And no nearby properties had been damaged either.

Disney had been on the phone or in virtual conferences all day, paying for his very hefty mistake. Jane, Milo and Belle assisted him as best they could, dealing with paperwork or turning away phone calls from curious reporters. Although multiple people had told Belle she should take the day off, go visit Phoebus in the infirmary, she refused. Everyone knew that she was avoiding seeing Phoebus practically broken in a hospital bed; She didn't want to face that, so she was distracting herself with work. She'd made herself believe that she was more needed in the office than by Phoebus. Her excuse was, "I'll give him some time to rest."

Hercules wandered aimlessly around, attempting to help wherever he might be needed, doing any task he was asked to. There wasn't much, though. It was mostly duties out of his expertise, all technical stuff. And most people were so busy or entranced with desperately trying to distract themselves that they just walked past without even noticing him. He considered leaving and hiding out in the apartment that Disney had rented for him down the street until he was called in. But then he saw Aurora and Tiana walking by, having just gotten back from the disaster area in town and both looking exhausted. Tiana was giving Aurora a reassuring smile before wandering off to find her husband. Aurora sighed to herself and started heading toward Disney's office, but was stopped by a flustered Milo with armfulls of files. While Milo clumsily flipped open a folder to show Aurora something, Hercules decided to walk over and say hi, maybe try to cheer her up. After all, Aurora was one of the first friends he made here, and seeing her unhappy bothered him.

"Hey, Aurora." He greeted her as cheerfully as he could.

Milo smiled nervously back at him, but Aurora didn't even look up from what she was reading. She nodded in acknowledgment and replied quietly, "Hey, Hercules."

"How are you holding up?" He asked her a bit more somberly.

She sighed. "Well..." She took the folder- and a couple others- from Milo and nodded at him, signaling him to leave. As Milo ducked his head and scurried away, she smirked ruefully up at Hercules. "I'm holding up."

He nodded, and stood awkwardly in front of her for a moment. She raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Oh!" He cried, realizing how strange he probably seemed. "Um..."

He could tell Aurora was doing her best not to laugh at him as she asked, "Yes?"

"Well, you've had a hard day. You should take a break." He told her. "There's a really good, uh... What is it? Pad Thai?"

She giggled and nodded. "Yeah, that's it."

He laughed. "Right. Well, there's a really good Pad Thai place by my apartment building. Well, I've _heard_ it's good... Why don't we go grab lunch?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are... Are you asking me out on a date right now?"

He frowned. "What's a date?"

She stared at him for a moment, then released a genuine trill of laughter. As he continued to watch her with a confused look, she composed herself and shook her head. "Nevermind..." She looked up at him in amusement. "Listen, that's very sweet of you to offer, but I can't leave the building right now. The Director needs me. But, I have had a hard day and I'm practically starving. So, if you could maybe pick up some take-out and bring it to me here, I'd really appreciate it."

Hercules had nodded along enthusiastically, but now he frowned again. "Take-out?"

Aurora paused, then smirked and reached into her pocket to fish out a scrap of paper and a pen. "Alright. Here..." She scribbled something on the paper and held it out to him. "Meg lives in the same building as you. Here's her floor and room number. She's been holed up in her apartment all day, so do me a favor and drag her out. Have her come with you to get the food, and she'll help you out. Sound good?"

He nodded. "Great."

"Okay. Here, let me go grab my wallet..."

He grinned and flashed the silver credit card that Disney had also gifted him. "No need."

Aurora smirked. "Wonder Boy, you're too kind. At least let Meg handle the tip."

He furrowed his brow. "Tip?"

She grinned and playfully rolled her eyes. "Hercules, just _go._"

He smiled back at her before turning to leave the building. Aurora shook her head in amusement as she headed up to the Director's office, not noticing Flynn Rider standing nearby and glaring at her retreating form.

Hercules jogged over to the apartment building and continued running up the stairs to the fifth floor, where Meg lived. Hercules had been placed on the top floor, with few neighbors, and none of them were S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, as far as he knew. He wondered if many of the agents lived so close to H.Q. for reasons of convenience. He double-checked the address on the paper Aurora had given him as he drew closer to Meg's door. He quickly stuffed the paper in his pocket as he knocked briskly on the door, which was lightly pulsating from the force of very loud rock music blasting from within the apartment. He stood for a few long moments, patiently waiting. But after a few minutes without Meg answering, he frowned and knocked again, a little louder. A few more minutes passed and Hercules realized that Meg might be busy and he might as well brave this quest for take-out on his own and just figure it out himself.

He was about to turn to go when the door suddenly swung open to reveal Adam lounging in the doorway with no shirt and a displeased look on his face. Hercules' eyebrows shot up in surprise while Adam impatiently waited for an explanation. There was an awkward moment while they just stared at each other, the angry rock song playing clearly through the hall.

Adam finally rolled his eyes and demanded, "What are you doing here, Wonder Boy?"

Hercules blinked. "Oh, uh... Aurora sent me. She wants Meg to come with me to get lunch..."

Adam smirked, but there was a dangerous look in his stormy eyes. "You're trying to take my girl out to lunch?"

"Well, we have to get take-out for Aurora, so..." Hercules answered innocently.

Adam chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "You are such a weird dude..."

"Who's at the door?" Meg's annoyed voice called from inside the apartment.

Hercules ducked his head while Adam called back to her, "The demigod! Says he wants you to come with him to pick up lunch!"

"Aurora sent me!" Hercules timidly added.

There was a pause, then a heavy sigh from Meg and some rustling sounds. Hercules patiently waited, curiously trying to peek over Adam's shoulder. Adam looked completely amused by the whole situation.

Then Hercules felt the need to duck his head when he saw Meg approaching wearing grey skinny jeans and a black bra. Meg chuckled when she noticed him looking away and casually pulled a loose purple sweatshirt on.

Adam grinned teasingly. "Ah, relax, Herc! It's not like it's anything you haven't seen before, right?" He noticed Hercules blushing and laughed aloud, then turned to Meg while pointing at Hercules. "Isn't that adorable?"

Meg smirked as she pulled on her black sneakers and told Adam, "Leave him alone." She grabbed her wallet and stashed it in her sweatshirt pocket as she joined them at the door. She seemed mildly irritated as she asked Hercules, "So, my big sister sent you, huh?"

Hercules nodded. "Yes."

"Well, don't tell her about this, alright?" She jerked her thumb back at Adam, who was standing behind her and smirking. She continued, "In fact, don't tell _anybody. _Got it?"

He nodded again. "You have my word, I won't tell a soul."

She gave him a suspicious look for a moment, then said, "Okay then. What are we getting for lunch?"

"I was thinking Pad Thai..." Hercules started.

Her eyes immediately lit up. "From the place down the street?"

"Yes, actually."

She smirked. "Sweet. I love that place. Practically got the whole menu memorized."

"Oh, so you know what's good, then?" Hercules asked hopefully.

"It's all good. But everyone there knows me by name at this point, so they make sure my orders are extra good." She grinned.

"Yeah, Herc, you're in good hands." Adam commented suggestively as he placed his hands on Meg's shoulders. She rolled her eyes as he leaned down to whisper to her, "I'll wait here. Bring me something."

"Anything you want in particular?" She asked in a disinterested tone.

He smirked. "You know what I like."

She chuckled and pulled away to lead Hercules down the hall. "Yeah, I know what you like." She winked at him as he shut the door to the apartment, then turned and abruptly walked away. Hercules hurried after her.

As they walked together down the street, Hercules couldn't help looking her over in her civilian clothes. It felt so strange seeing an agent out of uniform, especially looking so casual and disheveled. Meg didn't seem to care as she bounded down the sidewalk with her messy ponytail and clean , makeup-less face. She actually seemed more content than Hercules had ever seen her, in stark contrast with the other dowr and depressed faces he'd seen all day.

Eventually, Hercules got tired of the silence between them and decided to try to get to know Meg. After all, they worked together. And, despite himself, he was curious about her.

"So... You and Adam... You're...together?" He asked in a hushed tone.

She smirked. "No, not really. But we have fun. Especially when the world around us is going to shit."

His eyebrows popped up. "That's...very interesting."

She rolled her eyes, mistaking his comment as a way of him trying to reserve judgment. "Everyone handles grief in their own way. When things get depressing, Adam and I can rely on each other for a distraction."

"Well, that's nice." Hercules replied honestly.

She looked up at him curiously for a moment, as if surprised by his lack of reaction. "Yeah, it is."

"But your sister has no idea?"

"No one does. And they're not allowed to." She replied simply.

"Why don't you want anyone to know? Is it a bad thing- you and Adam?"

She chuckled hollowly. "A lot of people might think it is. Most of our co-workers don't like Adam. Especially Aurora. But it's alright." She looked up at him, her purple eyes gleaming in amusement. "Secret relationships are more fun. And they're easier, with no one else trying to have opinions about it." She narrowed her eyes at the sidewalk ahead of her feet. "I like keeping people out of my business."

Hercules nodded. "I respect that."

She smirked up at him. "I know you do. You know, you're really different from anyone else around here. I mean, I guess that makes sense, but... Whatever."

They didn't say anything else for a while. Then, they reached the restaurant and Meg ordered all four meals, since Hercules was clueless. Then she slyly handed the employee her credit card before Hercules had the chance, catching him by surprise. She noticed him frowning and grinned to herself. They waited in a contented silence for their food, Meg occasionally making a quietly snide remark about another customer and making Hercules laugh. Other than that, she politely ignored any of his attempts to start actual conversation. It was obvious that she was uncomfortable with answering his questions when there were so many ears around in this enclosed space. So, he waited until they'd received their food- Adam and Meg's meals in one bag, Hercules and Aurora's in another, just as Meg had requested- and Meg wished the server a surprisingly cheerful farewell before leading Hercules back out on the street. Once outside, in a less crowded area, Hercules told her, "I'll walk you back to your apartment."

"Ever the gentleman." Meg replied sarcastically, but smiled all the same as she handed him the bag with his and Aurora's meals. "That should make you guys happy. I got Aurora her favorite; the wuss can't handle spice. And I got you a plainer dish too, because I didn't know if you like it spicy or not. I guess I should have asked..."

"I'm sure I'll like whatever you picked out." He answered confidently, smiling at her. "After all, you know the place the best."

She chuckled and nodded. "That I do."

There were a few moments of quiet. Then, Hercules carefully asked, "How you holding up today?"

She was silent for awhile, seeming to think over her answer. Adam had kept her so distracted that she hadn't really had the time to process what had happened the night before.

She shrugged. "I'm doing fine, as always."

Hercules doubted that, but didn't show it. He nodded and replied, "That's good."

"Yeah... How's everyone else?" She asked. She hadn't bothered going into the HQ today. After getting the emergency call early this morning, she knew she couldn't be around everyone else. "Is Aurora holding down the fort?"

"Yeah, she's handling things well. She's very level-headed."

Meg smirked. "Yup, that's her."

"Yes... As for everyone else...they seem sad. I mean, they're going about their business as usual, but it's easy to tell they're all upset. And they aren't giving themselves room to grieve."

"Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D." Meg droned.

"I just wish there was some way I could help..." Hercules sighed.

"Wonder Boy, you are gonna help. By assisting us in catching those responsible for what happened to John and Kocoum." She said. "Everything else- all the personal stuff- that's up to the others to figure out on their own. Not your responsibility."

He shook his head. "I just... I can't stop thinking about Willow. You know, what she must be going through."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure she's really torn up." Meg responded flatly.

"I mean, losing her fiancé like that... And I heard that she and Agent Smith were pretty close, too."

Meg smirked as they approached the front door of the apartment building. She replied in a dry, knowing tone, "Oh, yeah. They were _very _close." She turned to see him frowning at her.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"You'll have to figure that out on your own. I don't gossip." She winked at him, then continued, "I can go on my own from here. You should head back to HQ before my dear sister starves to death."

Hercules chuckled and nodded. "Right. Will you be back in tomorrow?"

"I'll be in tonight, actually." She answered. "See you around, Wonder Boy."

"See you, Meg." He smiled and began to walk away, but her voice stopped him.

"Did you get a glimpse of my tattoo earlier?" She called after him smugly.

He turned briefly to laugh at her, blushing slightly. He actually hadn't seen it. She watched him jog away and smiled to herself before heading inside.

Hercules easily found Aurora in her office. Belle was in there with her. Aurora invited Hercules to stay and eat in the office while she and Belle continued working. Hercules and Aurora both shared some of their food with Belle, because they knew she hadn't eaten all day and could tell she was working herself too hard. After eating, Hercules got rid of the trash, and then Belle showed him how to use the computer so he could help her and Aurora out while they looked over files. He also handled phone calls that came to Aurora's desk. They carried on like this for a few hours, or however long it was until night fell. Aurora sighed as she sent Belle out with the last packet of paperwork, them leaned back in the chair and ran her hands over her face.

"How long until the meeting?" She asked Hercules.

"An hour..." He glanced at the clock. "And a half."

"Great. I'm going to the training room for awhile. I need to move around." She stood up eagerly. "Wanna come?"

"No, I'm just gonna keep myself occupied. Walk around the building."

"Okay. See you in a bit." She walked briskly out of the office. Hercules sat alone for a few minutes, giving himself a short mental break. Then, he left the office and began making rounds around the building, occasionally greeting people and making small talk. Everyone was much more receptive now that the work load had wound down, and they had a small break before the conference with Director Disney. Just a few more hours, and this horrible day could be over.

He decided eventually to stop by the infirmary and visit Phoebus. He hadn't officially gotten to meet Phoebus yet, and he figured now was as good a time as any. Besides, he wanted to commend Phoebus for his bravery. He'd already talked to Jim, and it was made very clear that Phoebus had remained level-headed and done his best to keep the others calm and control the situation. Even after losing two men, Phoebus hadn't wavered. He'd even risked his life to try and spare Jim from the same fate as their partners. Hercules knew his acts deserved recognition.

He walked through the infirmary, which was pretty empty, until he reached Phoebus's room. He paused in the doorway when he saw Belle sitting by Phoebus's bed. Her guilt must have finally overtaken her. She'd forced herself to come see Phoebus once her work was finished. She didn't seem to regret it though, as they held each other's hands and smiled lovingly at one another. Hercules tried to leave without being spotted, but Phoebus noticed him and chuckled, catching his attention. Hercules turned to see Phoebus and Belle both smiling at him. Belle blushed slightly as she withdrew her hands from Phoebus's and folded them in her lap. Phoebus gave her an amused look before turning back to Hercules.

"Come on in, it's fine." Phoebus told him. "I'd be honored to have a demigod visit me."

Hercules nodded and stepped shyly into the room. "I come to you not as a god, but as a man. And I wish to commend you for your actions last night. I hope your bravery is justly rewarded."

Phoebus laughed and sat up in his bed, struggling a little. The doctors had done a good job healing him, but he was still sore in his...well, everywhere. "I don't do this job for any reward. I do it to catch the bad guys." He sobered up, pausing before continuing, "As long as John and Kocoum are avenged, I will be rewarded."

Hercules smiled and nodded. "It's a good thing you know the Avengers, then."

Phoebus laughed again, more heartily now. "Yeah, I guess it is." He glanced over at Belle. "How long until the meeting?"

"Half an hour." She replied.

He nodded. "You should go get ready."

She frowned. "No, I have time..."

He smiled at her. "Disney will probably want you in early. And besides, you're exhausted. You need to give yourself a little break."

She shook her head. "No, I can stay a little longer."

"I'll be all better tomorrow. No need to worry. I mean, I would come to the meeting with you, but Sweet won't let me leave this bed. The man's a nazi, I tell you."

She playfully rolled her eyes. "Phoebus..."

"Oh, you know I'm joking." He smirked. "Now, seriously, honey. Go on."

She sighed. "If you insist..." She stood up, turning to Hercules. "Go ahead and wait in the hall. We'll go to the meeting together."

Hercules nodded and shared another smile with Phoebus before leaving the room. Once he was gone, Belle leaned down to kiss Phoebus's forehead and told him, "I'll be back to check on you in the morning."

Once Belle had joined him out in the hall, Hercules fell in step beside her as they headed to the conference room. Belle remained quiet and thoughtful, obviously distracted. Hercules eventually smirked over at her and asked, "So, you and Phoebus, huh?"

She laughed quietly after snapping back to reality. "Is it that obvious?"

He shrugged. "Well, I first noticed it last night..."

She groaned softly, shaking her head. "Damn..."

"You don't want people to know?" He asked.

"No, I'm sure everyone knows. I just don't want it to be _obvious. _I mean, it's not professional, being all romantic in the workplace. For the most part, we keep it quiet. If the other agents aren't reminded, they can't tease us about it." She smirked.

Hercules chuckled. "I'll pretend I didn't see anything, then."

She grinned up at him. "You're more kind than most."

He nodded. "So I've heard."

She laughed at this.

Hercules looked at her curiously. "How did you and Phoebus become an item?"

Belle was quiet, staring distractedly ahead of them, as if unpleasant memories were dancing around before her eyes. She slowly shook her head. "That's a story for another time. Possibly never."

Hercules watched her for a moment, then nodded and turned away with a serious expression. "I understand."

They entered the meeting room and took their seats, nodding respectfully at the Director as they went. They sat with Mai Li, Ping, Tiana, Naveen, Jessica, Esmeralda and Ebony. They chatted idly for a moment, but quickly fell into a silence that lasted for the next half-hour while the other agents slowly trickled into the room. Soon, each seat was filled with a stiff body and solemn expression. Aurora was the last to come in, freshly cleaned and in full uniform, standing beside Disney at the front of the room. Aurora hit a series of buttons in the wall nearby and the door to the room automatically shut and locked itself. Everyone faced the Director with stern faces, remaining focused even in their exhausted state. Disney cleared his throat, thinking over what he was about to say. Aurora stood ramrod straight at his side, with her arms folded behind her back.

"Lyle Rourke has still not returned from the sewers. He was nowhere near the area when the shopping center went down, or his body would have been found in the wreckage. This means that he either taken by the enemy during the course of his duties, or- more likely- he went with them of his own volition. We have many reasons to believe that Rourke has moved to the enemy's side... Actually, that he's been working with them for awhile." Disney paused to sigh. "Lyle Rourke purposefully sequestered himself from the rest of his team, because he planned last night's attack with the villains all along. I suppose that we were meant to believe that he simply disappeared in the field; that the enemies did something to him while he was wandering the sewers alone. But now, all of his files have been erased from our computers. Even the hard copies are missing. As though Rourke never existed. This was planned for a long time beforehand... Rourke just needed the perfect time, the perfect situation to officially defect. So he convinced me to allow him to take a team into the sewers to pursue Sadira. Lyle Rourke is a traitor."

Disney paused again, longer this time. Aurora turned to him, light concern in her eyes, but her expression remaining stoic. He looked briefly over at her and she nodded slightly, as if in reassurance. Disney finally continued.

"And I am personally ashamed that it took the deaths of two of our best agents to realize that. I take responsibility for what happened to Smith and Kocoum. They were good men, and they deserve a proper burial. Unfortunately, they can't have one, because neither of their bodies were recovered. Still, there will be funerals for both agents during this week. I suggest we take that time to properly grieve our loss. And, in this week, while we honor our dead, we will formulate a plan to catch those responsible. They will be anticipating a counterstrike sooner than that, but we'll make them wait. Let them think they're safe. And, once we have the perfect opportunity to strike, we will."

There was a moment of silence as his words settled over everyone in the room. A few people solemnly ducked their heads during this quiet as a brief act of mourning; this was the first chance they'd had all day to think of their fallen comrades. After a long pause, Disney nodded and finished, "Meeting adjourned. Everyone go about your business."

Everyone sluggishly stood and scattered out of the room and into the halls. A few stayed behind to chat with the Director, including Hercules. Aside from him there was Aurora, Meg, Ariel, Belle, Jessica, Amelia, Ebony, and a few of the Runners. Tiana would have stayed, but she had to meet with the recruits that she hadn't seen all day, (The kids had gotten the day off from schooling.), so Naveen remained in her place.

"I have my people searching the seas for the bodies. If there's any place that your agents ended up, it's there. And my men won't rest until they are found." Ariel somberly told Disney.

He nodded. "Thank you, Trident. But don't let them strain themselves. They'll probably find the bodies too late for the funerals, any way."

Ariel respectfully bowed, then stepped back to allow someone else permission to speak. Meg was the one to step up, absolutely fuming.

"Excuse me, _Director, _but what the hell was that about waiting a week to go after those bastards?" She angrily demanded.

A lot of people were shocked or horrified by her words, but none more so than Aurora, whose violet eyes were wide as dinner plates.

"Meg!" She exclaimed, embarrassed by her hot-headed sister.

Meg pointed at Aurora and growled, "You stay out of this. As far as I'm concerned, you're as responsible for what's happened as _he _is." She turned to glare at Disney. "I told you Rourke was a crook the day you hired the asshole. You know how good I am at reading people, and you still ignored me. And you even allowed a double - agent to give you instructions on how to handle a sensitive situation. Now two agents have had to pay the ultimate price for your arrogance!"

"Agent Megara, I have already accepted full responsibility for their deaths, and I do intend to avenge them. What more do you want me to do? At least John and Kocoum died in the field, with honor." Disney replied evenly.

Meg scoffed. "Those are big words from a man who hasn't been in the field for over a decade. I wonder, if put in the same position as John or Kocoum, could the same be said of you?"

"Megara, stop!" Aurora ordered with more force in her tone than Hercules ever expected from her.

The two sisters glared at each other for a moment. Then Meg rolled her eyes and shoved past the others to leave the room.

"I'll be right back." Aurora muttered to the group as she stalked Meg out into the hall. Once the door was shut behind them, separating them from the ears of the group, Aurora demanded, "What the hell is wrong with you, Meg? You can't talk to the Director like that!"

Meg laughed bitterly and turned to face her. "Oh, I'm sorry, Space Cadet. Have I offended you?"

"You need to learn where you stand here! Know your place, and figure out the right way to address your superiors, or I won't be able to keep saving your ass!"

"Saving my ass?" Meg shouted. "Is that what you've been doing all along, sis? Protecting me? Because I thought you were just trying to mold me into a clone of you!"

"What are you talking about? A clone?!"

"Just trying to make me be like you: the perfect soldier." Meg sarcastically chuckled. "I'll tell you, you even give Captain America a run for his money, you fucking girl scout!"

"What's the point of this, Meg?" Aurora crossed her arms.

"The point is that this isn't what S.H.I.E.L.D. is supposed to be! I didn't sign up to be a mindless robot blindly taking orders! We aren't supposed to be soldiers, Aurora. We're agents, yeah, but not automatons. We're supposed to be doing _good. _Saving the world. We can't even handle burglaries! How much good have we done recently?"

Aurora was silent, not wanting to argue but also not wanting to admit Meg was right. She just kept her expression like stone as she listened to her disillusioned little sister.

Meg continued icily, "Yeah, that's right. _None. _There's a reason our division isn't taken seriously. We're just one of Fury's experiments that's gone wrong, and everyone else laughs at us for it. That's why no one wants to call us a part of the Avengers, why no one even wants to associate us with them." She shook her head. "We're a joke. And I'm tired of being a joke."

"What are you saying, Meg? You quit?" Aurora narrowed her eyes at her.

Meg smirked ruefully and nodded. "Thinking about it. And I'm also thinking that mom and Vanessa might have had the right idea all along."

"That's dangerous talk, Meg. And if it continues, I'll have to report you." Aurora threatened.

Meg scoffed and shook her head. "You're unbelievable." She turned and started to walk away.

"Don't leave, agent! You're still on duty!" Aurora called angrily after her.

"Yeah? Well I've just decided I'm off the clock!" Meg called back carelessly as she continued on her way out. "Seems my much-deserved mental health day isn't over."

Aurora gritted her teeth as she watched Meg stroll out of the building. She wanted to go after her sister, to say something else to her, but she knew there was no use. They both needed time to cool down, and that meant time away from each other. Aurora sighed and shook her head, turning on her heel and storming back into the meeting room, the door automatically opening for her and then shutting after her. She approached the group quietly, crossing her arms and bowing her head. They were in the middle of a discussion and didn't pay her much mind as she rejoined them, but Aurora noticed Hercules looking at her sadly.

"Not to jump on the bandwagon sir, but are you so sure that waiting a week is a good idea?" Flynn was asking Disney doubtfully. "I mean, I understand giving ourselves the proper time to grieve and catching the enemy by surprise. I get what could be gained by letting the bad guys get comfortable, but so much more could be lost if we let them get _too _comfortable."

"He's right, Director. We've already underestimated the villains, and look how much they've achieved, all the destruction they've caused right under our noses." Tarzan continued in his usual low, soothing tone, ever the level-headed leader of the Runners. "Think about it. If we give them enough time, they could-"

"I understand your concerns, agents. And I do agree with you. But, you all have to trust me. How long have I been at this game? Don't you think I know what I'm doing by now?" Disney looked sincerely around at them all. "I have vowed to bring these criminals to justice, and I will not rest until that is done. But we cannot make the right move until our agents are in the right state of mind. Everyone needs time to get back on their feet."

Jasmine nodded. "You're right, Director. And we aren't doubting your strategy. We're just trying to tread carefully, is all."

He smiled a little at her. "Trust me, I can see why. But you all know that I only want the best for this division, for this city... For the _world. _And believe me, we are going to achieve true justice before our time is done. Now... Are you guys with me, or not?"

Ebony stepped forward and nodded. "We're with you, Director."

"For better or worse." Belle added with a smirk.

"And if we do fail, we fail together." Amelia put in with a feral grin. "There's some honor in that, right?"

"Well, there's definitely _something _in that." Jessica commented wryly.

Disney grinned and nodded at them. "Glad we're on the same page. Now, you're all dismissed. For God's sake, get some sleep."

A few of them chuckled as they headed out. Aurora paused when Disney called her name and turned to see him waving her over. They were the only two in the room now, and she turned to face him evenly as the door shut after the others.

"Yes, sir?" She asked as she stood stiffly before him.

He looked at her with a guarded expression. "About Agent Megara..."

"That outburst was completely inappropriate, sir. And I apologize. I take full responsibility for my sister's actions, and I'll make sure the mistake is not repeated." Aurora replied automatically.

He nodded. "I understand, Aurora. It's just that this is not Megara's first offense. This is the third time she's received a warning, and I doubt it will be the last. Despite years of disciplined training and work in the feild, she still proves to be quite...hasty. She is overrun by her emotions. That could make her...dangerous..to us." He gave Aurora a look as if he was hoping she understood his words without him having to clarify.

Aurora's jaw clenched. She was obviously hurt by the Director's insinuation, but she pushed the feeling aside and answered maturely, "I can assure you, sir, that it will never come to that. Meg is just young. She may be rash and rough around the edges, and she may seem callous and untrusting. But that's the only way that she's known how to protect herself."

"Exactly." He spoke more seriously now. " I'm worried that, when it comes down to it, Meg will only regard her own self-interest. And possibly turn on the team." His eyes softened. "Two other members of your family have already been lead astray, and I do not underestimate Meg's capabilities for darkness. It would be understandable if she wound up following the same path as Vanessa and your mother."

"That won't happen." Aurora replied firmly.

He sighed. "Don't let familial bonds distract you, Aurora. Don't be blinded by trying to keep hold of your damaged relationship with your sister when it now hangs by a thread."

"Meg would never defect, sir." She cut in stubbornly, almost failing to hide her irritation at this point. She saw his eyes flash with unpleasant surprise at her harsh response and quickly collected herself. "With all due respect. That's just not who she is. Meg might seem rebellious and...at times, tempted by the wrong path. But I can assure you that all she wants is to do good. To seek justice and to help this world. She's just restless because she knows she won't be able to relax until we finish things with this league of villains. And Meg doesn't like not being relaxed." Aurora smirked a little.

Disney stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "I hope that's it, agent. I hope you're right. Because if you're not... Well, that would just be another heartbreak for you to overcome. Wouldn't it?"

She stared back at him with the same amount of patience and self-control that never ceased to amaze him. "Director, I could keep a closer eye on her. If that's what you'd like."

He shook his head, seeming slightly amused. "No, no... You've been watching over her from day one, and all it's done is make her more uneasy, aggravated. You do your best to protect her- from herself as well as others -but all you've done is push her further and further away. We can't continue on that course. No... Megara must choose her own path. Because you and I both know that, whichever side she chooses, there'll be nothing any of us can do to alter her decision. All I'm asking of you, Aurora, is that- should the time ever come that Meg decides to follow in the family footsteps... Just don't be surprised by it." He nodded toward the door. "You're dismissed."

She nodded and headed quickly toward the door, then paused in her tracks. She turned hesitantly back toward him and quietly asked, "Permission to make an inquiry, sir?"

He smirked. "Permission granted."

"Do you ever worry about me the same way you worry about Meg?"

He shook his head. "No, my dear. Never. For as long as you've been here, you've shown an unwavering resolve to be the best agent possible. Never defied one order, always worked well with every team mate, always handled every mission with ease and dealt with tough situations and decisions accurately. You're the perfect asset."

Aurora thought this over, not seeming to notice his casual use of the word "asset", like she was some helpful tool rather than a person.

Disney continued, "I've never doubted you, because you've never doubted me. We have a partnership built on trust. Right?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Now, see, the problem is that..." He gave her a heavy look. "You and Meg are very different people."

**_Later._..**

Hercules didn't have anything better to do, so he decided to go check in on the recruits, see how they were holding up. He slipped into the classroom and stood at the back without being seen to watch Tiana sit at the front and talk to the kids. She was having them share what they were feeling about the events of the last few days, and also tell about any memories they had of John or Kocoum. There were few, because recruit interaction with elite agents was rare. Hercules reserved himself in the back to listen to what the kids said, catching only Tiana's eye. She pretended not to notice him so the kids wouldn't get distracted.

"I only knew Kocoum because I went to school with his little sister, Tiger Lily. She, Crysta and I were best friends." Tinkerbell was saying with a slight smile while Crysta sat sadly by her side. "But then, when our parents discovered our powers, they freaked and sent us to that mutant school- Xavier's- and we kept in touch with Tiger Lily as much as we could, but we weren't allowed to tell her why we suddenly switched schools. I didn't even know Kocoum was some secret agent at the time, so when he came to Xavier's one day to recruit me and Crysta, I was pretty weirded out. But he promised he would let us hang out with Tiger Lily again if we came with him. He was a pretty sweet guy, surprisingly..." She picked distractedly at her chipped nail polish. "Now, the next time we see Tiger Lily will be at his funeral. And after that...who knows?" She shrugged and looked down to hide the tears in her eyes.

"Soon enough, you'll be able to come and go from this building as you please, Tink." Tiana replied softly. "I promise you, your friendship will not be broken up."

"But we're not allowed to even send letters, or let anyone know where we are or _anything._" Crysta sniffled. "What if we lose touch in the meantime?"

"And why are we not allowed to leave the building, any way?" Lilo asked peevishly. "I thought we were supposed to have freedom here."

"Yeah! What is this place, a prison?" Peter demanded from the back of the room.

Tiana shook her head. "No, guys. It's a safe place for you all. We keep you in for your own protection. I've requested multiple times to be able to take you guys on field trips or just give you some free time outside, but my superiors have always refused. Just have patience. Once your training is finished, and we feel that you can be trusted-"

"I think _you _people are the ones who can't be trusted. With the way this place is going to shit, it's obvious that you 'agents' don't know what you're doing!" Peter argued.

The room fell into a jumbled, chaotic argument as everyone started talking- or shouting- at once. Tiana was trying her best to calm the kids down, but they were too riled up and upset. Hercules decided to step up after a moment.

"Hey!" He snapped, walking toward the front of the room. Everyone was immediately silent. The kids, who'd had no idea that Hercules was there, all stared at him as he stood next to Tiana to address them.

"You think the answer to fixing this division is to turn on each other and shout nonsensically at the people who are trying to help you?" He asked the kids seriously. A few of them shamefully ducked their heads. He nodded and continued, "Exactly. You know you're doing the wrong thing here. And Agents Smith and Kocoum would be embarrassed to see recruits acting this way, wouldn't they? You wonder why you can't be trusted fully, why you're treated like children. It's because of how you act. I know you're frustrated, and afraid. But behaving like animals won't solve a thing. The way to fix this division is from the inside, and by fixing yourselves first. You want to be able to come and go as you please? You want to be trusted? Then start taking responsibility for yourselves and push through your training with all your effort and focus. Start acting like the agents you're expected to be. And here's your first tip: On a mission, or even in the HQ, when things go bad- when you _lose _people, which you will- once you get through it, it won't end there. There won't be a share circle, a real chance to express your feelings, and there won't be anyone around to hold your hand. There will only be your teammates. People who are depending on you, people who will work with you to get through the battle. You won't have time to wallow in the unpleasant things you feel. You just have to keep going, and sort through all that after the mission is truly finished. So instead of banding together and trying to shout your way out of a situation, build the skills of teamwork you need to actually solve the problem the right way."

There was a pause as the children took in everything he'd said. Hercules turned to Tiana and she smiled up at him.

"Okay... So, if there was a way to get through training faster, would you help us?" Rapunzel asked him timidly.

He shrugged. "What would you like me to do?"

"Be one of our trainers!" Taran cried excitedly. "You obviously know a lot about the feild."

"Yeah! If you could help whip us into shape, we could be awesome agents!" Arthur agreed.

"Plus, if we learn how to fight off a guy like you, we could handle pretty much anything." Peter grinned.

"Well, I mean..." Hercules turned to Tiana. "If you approve."

"Honestly, Herc, I can use all the help I can get." Tiana replied tiredly.

"So, whattaya say, Hercules?" Peter asked with a devious gleam in his eye. "Are you in or out?"

"Yes, please help us?" Rapunzel gave him puppy-dog eyes.

Hercules thought it over for a moment, then smiled. "Of course I'll help. We start tomorrow, bright and early."

Hercules left the classroom and decided to go look for Aurora in the training room, where he knew she'd be. Pretty much all her spare time was spent training alone in that room. Since she'd been through so much today, he figured he should go check on her, see if she wanted to talk about anything. He jogged into the training room and paused when he didn't see Aurora anywhere. He frowned and looked around for a moment before hearing her voice from above him.

"Hey, Wonder Boy!"

He looked up to see her scaling the climbing wall to his right without any gear. He grinned and waved at her. "Hey!"

"What's up? You need something?" She called down as she continued to focus on climbing. Her movements were calculated and careful, but also quick and quite agile. Hercules was sure he'd never seen a human move like that before. Just what kind of training did the young agents have to go through?

He shook his head. "Uh...no. No, I just wanted to talk to you. But it's not important. I can leave..."

"No, it's fine! I'll come right down!"

He watched as she scurried downward to the bottom of the climbing apparatus, which ended at the middle of the very tall wall. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when she pushed off of the wall and fell backward momentarily, turning over in the air and leaping toward the horizontal climbing bars a few feet away. He watched in awe as she swung smoothly from bar to bar, then hopped down and jogged toward him.

"That was incredible!" Hercules exclaimed as she approached him.

She shrugged modestly. "I've done better." She placed her hands on her hips and smiled at him. "So what's up?"

"Oh, uh..." He nervously laughed. "It's kinda dumb, I guess, but, uh... I just wanted to see if you wanted to...maybe...talk?"

"Talk?"

"Well, you know, about...everything that's been going on. You know, you've been through a lot and it's obviously bothering you, so..."

"Oh." She laughed and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Really. I mean, I've dealt with worse things at this job. It's a miracle that no civilians were harmed in the destruction, and I'm glad the incident wasn't as bad as it could have been. Of course, Rourke defecting is not ideal... Especially since he knows a lot of top secret information about S.H.I.E.L.D. and all its agents, which could prove really dangerous if the villains get their hands on it. Not to mention now we have no idea who we can actually trust or who might be a double-agent... And to top it all off, my psychotic sister has telekinetic powers now, which means she's probably undergone the same experiments my mom did to become what she is... And since Vanessa's appearance isn't any different, that must mean that their mad scientists have perfected whatever formula they created. Now the bad guys can make as many super-powered minions as they want and they can blend in perfectly with society. And that's scary."

Aurora trailed off, lost in thought for a moment. Hercules watched her with a softened expression until she came back to her senses and looked curiously up at him.

"Huh. I was prepared to blow off your friendly attempt at conversation and act like everything's fine, but instead I just ranted at you any way... That's weird." She chuckled dryly. "I must be more stressed than I thought."

Hercules tried to smile for her, but sadness was evident in his blue eyes. "Is there anything else you'd like to say? Maybe about John or Kocoum?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "They were both good agents... Good men. They didn't deserve that fate. But..." She sighed. "I've seen a lot of good agents come and go in this place... Lots of good guys who didn't deserve the fate they wound up with. If there's anything this job has taught me so far..." She smirked. "It's that sometimes situations don't end fairly. Good people don't always get the ending they deserve. But, if there's another thing this job has taught me, it's that things have a way of working out. You know..." She smiled with a bittersweet look in her eyes. "We can face a few rough hiccups along the way, but in the end, good wins out. We can all have our happy ending, if we fight for it."

Hercules nodded after absorbing her words. "Right... You're quite the optimist."

She pulled a face. "Was that cheesy?"

He laughed and shook his head. "No. Actually, uh... It's a breath of fresh air. Especially after today."

She nodded. "Right."

"Do...you agree with the Director's course of action?" He asked her hesitantly.

She immediately nodded and answered confidently, "Of course I do. Director Disney knows what's best."

Hercules raised an eyebrow. "You're sure?"

She frowned at him. "Yes. You're not?"

"Well... It seems like Disney's not sure what to do, so he's just placating us all with a wait-and-see attitude." He answered honestly.

She was obviously caught off guard by this straightforward response, and for an instant, Hercules saw doubt flash through her eyes. But she kept a straight face, crossed her arms and shrugged.

"Well, that's one man's opinion. But I'm going to stand by the Director on this. I stand by him on everything." She told him evenly.

Hercules nodded. "Alright. I understand. I respect that. Now..." He smirked. "I guess there's one more thing to talk about, if you're willing."

She looked amused as she raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Meg. Are you two going to be okay?"

She chuckled. "Please. Meg and I have had worse arguments and come out stronger for it. This instance will be no different."

Hercules smiled. "I'm glad."

She raised her arms at her sides. "There. I opened up. You happy?"

He laughed. "The more important question is: 'Are _you _happy'?"

She smirked and looked down at her feet, shaking her head slightly. "Honestly... No."

He sobered and looked down at her in concern. "You're exhausted. You should sleep."

She grinned. "Haven't you heard? I'm an insomniac."

He slowly nodded. "Oh... That's why you're here at all hours. Don't you ever take a break?"

She shook her head with a smirk. "No time. Especially not now." She smiled sincerely up at him. "Thanks for lunch, by the way."

He grinned. "Any time."

They stood there for a moment, just smiling at each other. Eventually, Hercules felt awkward and started blushing and ducked his head. Aurora bit her lip on a giggle.

"Uh... I'll let you get back to it, then. I should get home any way. There's a chance I left my door unlocked this whole time." He winced.

Now she laughed aloud. "Brilliant."

"Yeah... Gotta get used to that." He chuckled. "See you tomorrow." He waved tinily and started to walk out.

"See you tomorrow, Hercules." She replied, smiling to herself as she watched him go. He turned briefly to smile at her before disappearing. She grinned and turned to get back to free-climbing, when a sarcastic voice from across the room made her freeze in her tracks.

"How cute."

She turned to see Flynn walking out of the showers, still damp and smirking at her. Hostility rolled off of him in heated waves. She rolled her eyes and walked over to meet him in the center of the room, crossing her arms.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Oh, please. It's obvious that you're into Wonder Boy." He said haughtily.

Aurora laughed. "Flynn, that's ridiculous! I barely know him. I only met him two days ago! Besides, we work together. It would be unprofessional."

"And what we did was 'professional'?" He smirked.

She glared at him. "No, it wasn't. And I swore I'd never make that mistake again." She turned away to get back to her training, but paused where she stood when he spoke again.

"Whether you choose to see it or not, Aurora, you've got a crush on the demigod. And, if you do end up pursuing something with him, regardless of the circumstances, I'll be forced to let the sordid details of our little fling leak to the press."

She turned to him with a blank look, but inside, her heart had begun to beat rapidly.

He nodded. "Yeah. Sorry, but it's for your own good. Maybe exposure might put a stop to these delf-destructive tendencies of yours."

She scoffed. "Flynn, what the hell-?"

"Just imagine what that news might do to poor Phillip? Or how daddy would react? Come to think of it, what about everyone we work with? What would they think? Oh, and poor Meg..."

"Okay, I get your point." She snapped. "But you don't have to worry about any of them, because that won't happen. There's nothing between me and Hercules. You're just being a ridiculous, jealous kid. You may be good at manipulating people, Rider, but it won't work with me. Next time you wanna make a threat to somebody, make sure it's founded on fact. And make sure that somebody isn't your superior who's also very close to the Director. I ought to have you reassigned for this misconduct."

Flynn glared at her now, straightening up from his casual and smug stance.

She smiled bitterly at him. "What, you thought you would scare me that easy?" She shook her head and walked away to the punching bags. "Get a grip, agent."

The furious Runner shook his head and resisted the urge to blow up on her as he turned and stormed out of the room. Aurora smirked to herself as she wrapped her knuckles, finally getting to enjoy peace and quiet since she had the training room all to herself for the night.


End file.
